First
by LaineyK123
Summary: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Battle Royale!" Words that change their lives forever. This is the story of the very first BR Program, and a group of kids who must learn exactly how far friendship will go.
1. Chapter 1

5

Third Year Class C,

Fukuoka Junior High School

Student List

1. Akira Nakano

2. Chikaaki Aoki  
3. Daisuke Yamazaki

4. Haru Ishikawa

5. Hisoka Fujii

6. Isamu Tanaka

7. Joji Kimura

8. Kinjiri Matsumoto

9. Kiyoshi Okamoto

10. Koji Yoshida

11. Mamoru Shimizu

12. Yukio Katō

13. Umi Ōta

14. Yasahiro Hasegawa

15. Yaso Itō .

16. Tadashi Sasaki

17. Nagataka Yamashita

18. Naoko Kondō

19. Akako Fujiwara

20. Akemi Yamasaki

21. Hiroshi Aoki

1. Aika Maeda

2. Akasuki Nishimura  
3. Ane Fukuda

4. Bachiko Fujiwara

5. Chimako Saitō

6. Fumika Ishii

7. Hideka Hayashi  
8. Hikaru Yamasaki

9. Hisa Mori

10. Imako Suzuki

11. Kaiyo Yamada

12. Kama Murakami

13. Leiko Fujiwara

14. Mikka Endō

15. Rina Miura

16. Ruriko Kobayashi

17. Suzume Ikeda

18. Erisa Sakamoto.

19. Miwa Ibaraki

20. Yuka Matsuda

21. Utayo Gotō

It was a sunny day with no clouds in the sky. It was the absolute perfect weather for a school trip. The birds were singing, kids were playing and people were laughing. If one were to stop and take it all in, they would realize that it was a little too perfect. It was sickeningly sweet. Yet that fact went completely unobserved. They all thought it was the _perfect_ day. It's a little ironic, isn't it? I mean when you really stop to think of it? The last day of peace and happiness was complete perfection. That only made the Program a million times worse.

If you want to get even more accurate and examine all of the specifics, you will find that the situation only worsens. It was the very first BR Program. The year was 1947. The original idea had been proposed in 1945, it took two years for it to be put into action. Even then, there were and always would be people who were against the three day massacre.

Then again, there were people who were completely for it. They agreed to it, they waited for it, they wanted it, and they enjoyed it. After all, the nation simply had to show that it had the proper control, did it not? I'm sure that if all of the supporters of the BR Act were ordered to fight one another as the students did, they would have posed their own opposition to it after all.

Erisa Sakamoto sat at the kitchen table of her home. Her legs were stretched out and she was slouching. She gave a glance towards her father who was reading the newspaper and then to her mother who was tending to the flowers she kept on the windowsill over the kitchen sink. Their house was rather small. Erisa thought it was far too small for four people. It was her, her parents and her little brother. Botan and Erisa got along rather well. There was a very low amount of sibling rivalry. It was surprising to their parents and to everyone who knew them. The children were total opposites, but they got along perfectly. Just another perfect element to the perfect day.

Erisa was waiting for Botan. She was all ready in her school uniform, waiting almost impatiently to go. Botan, however, was the opposite. He was completely disorganized. Thanks to him, the two of them were almost late.

"Botan, are you almost ready?" she yelled across the house.

The ten year old stumbled down the stairs and ran towards the table, almost colliding with it. He grabbed a piece of toast and said "Ready!"

Erisa gave a small sigh. "You did your tie wrong," she said. He looked down at it and began to untie it with his available hand. She shook her head, "Come here, kid."

He walked towards her while nibbling on the piece of toast. She grabbed the tie and pulled him closer. She quickly untied it and redid it for him. "You have crumbs all over your face," she kindly informed him. He stuck out his tongue at her and she smiled.

She grabbed her backpack. It was packed with clothes for the trip that her class would be going on that day. They would go to the beach to observe the sea life. No student was thinking about science class. They were thinking about going for a swim with their friends. Erisa knew that it would be great. She was beyond wrong.

. ~ .

Kiyoshi Okamoto was sitting on the bus as he flipped through a comic book. He should have brought more, he had finished this particular one and they weren't even close to being halfway away from their oceanic destination. He sighed and pushed up his glasses which, despite his best efforts, kept sliding down. He looked around. His watchful eyes landed on every one of his classmates. He was sitting all alone in the very back, as usual.

It was expected, you see. It was routine. He said nothing unless a teacher asked him a question. He wasn't the smartest of all the children. He wasn't the most popular child. He just happened to always be there. To tell the truth, none of them ever talked to him. He basically had no friends.

Still, he felt incredibly, undeniably close to them. He couldn't explain it. He had grown up near them, but not with them. He knew each and every single one like he knew comic books. No, better than he knew comic books. He had always wanted to talk to them, why not now?

He was incredibly shy, but something pushed him forward that day. He leaned forward and tried to start a conversation with the person sitting in front of him.

"H-how are you today, Sakamoto?" he asked with his voice shaky.

She shrugged. "I'm fine. Same as I was yesterday, I guess. How are you?" If he had talked to anyone else, they would have died of shock. Kiyoshi didn't talk. It was an accepted fact, even the teachers called on him less often than others. "You know, there's no need for formalities. We're friends. Call me Erisa."

He smiled, "I will."

"Duck, Sakamoto!" someone shouted. But it was too late.

Lemon yogurt was thrown all over Kiyoshi. Some of it landed upon Erisa as well. Daisuke Yamazaki began laughing.

Did I forget to mention that Kiyoshi was bullied on a constant basis?

Daisuke and his friends were laughing uncontrollably. The bus was quiet except for their laughter. No one had ever been involved in Kiyoshi's bullying before. There were no casualties, ever. The only person affected by it was Kiyoshi, the quiet one. He never spoke about it, so everyone assumed that he didn't care. He did.

He felt like crying. This was one of the reasons he didn't usually talk to anyone. He didn't want them to go down with him. Erisa had almost the exact same reaction, except she tried to cover it up. She rubbed the yogurt away and gave a single chuckle that broke the silence that filled the vehicle.

It did not have the effect she had wanted. It sounded as if she was mad. She was trying to give the impression that she was willing to laugh it off. Daisuke's friends all turned away from her; for fear that she might end up crying. Daisuke looked at her with an almost sad look in his eyes before turning away.

. ~ .

A girl named Ruriko Kobayashi turned to Erisa and offered a smile. Erisa managed to give a small smile in return. They were best friends, even if they had nothing in common. Ruriko literally talked to everyone. Everyone liked her and everyone claimed to be her best friend. She had people who would follow her anywhere. She had a rather disarming quality about her; it made everyone want to be around her. She let all of the little things bother her, though. She worried a lot.

Erisa on the other hand, preferred to stay with groups of small people. Her humor was sarcastic and she never let anything bother her. She was the strong one, this girl would never break. She was a little cold, but once you were to become her friend, you would realize that she was a very protective person.

Somehow, in some crazy way, Erisa and Ruriko became the very best of friends. Erisa did not claim that she was the closest to Ruriko like everyone else did. She was honest, a little too honest. Still, Ruriko liked that about her and she trusted Erisa with things that she would never tell anyone else.

Ruriko would always remember how they originally met each other. It was a Thursday during lunch hour. In the middle of the school's courtyard, there was a giant tree. It was so wide you could look to your left and then to your right and you would not be able to see what was on the other side.

Erisa sat underneath it, enjoying its shade. She heard a noise. She opened her eyes and looked around her. She saw nothing. She thought that she was imagining that she had even heard a noise, until she heard it again. This time, she was sure of what it was.

Someone was crying and they were doing a terrible job at controlling it. She stood up and walked to the other side of the tree. She sat down again next to a girl she didn't know very well.

"What are you crying for?" she asked. Ruriko didn't answer.

Ruriko had it hard in life, even though she never told anyone. It was just one of those topics that never happened to be discussed. Ruriko lived with her aunt and her six cousins. Her uncle had left them three years prior to the specific occasion we are discussing.

Everyone knew that her parents had passed away. What they didn't know is that she didn't get to eat a dinner on some days. The family had it hard, but she refused to let her smile fade. She refused to let anyone know. She didn't want their help or their pity.

"I-I'm not crying. You're just h-hearing things," she said.

"I guess I'm just seeing things too?"

"D-Definitely," Ruriko said. She sniffled.

Erisa handed her a tissue which the crying child took gratefully. After a few minutes, Ruriko calmed down. She trusted Erisa immediately and began to tell her everything.

"It just gets to you sometimes," she sighed. "You know?"

Erisa nodded. She said nothing, but she listened and that was enough.

. ~ .

Maybe giving her friend a smile on the bus was enough to pay that back. Maybe not. Maybe it wasn't good enough. Ruriko hoped that it was. After all, what else could she give?

All conversation on the bus resumed. People wanted to pretend that it didn't happen. They wanted to get over it. They wanted to forget it. Not all of them knew Erisa very well, but all of them knew that she could easily hold a grudge for a very long time. They didn't want their trip to be ruined.

"I'm sorry," Kiyoshi said to her.

"Don't be," Erisa said, "You didn't throw the stuff."

The bus turned into a tunnel. For every single student on that bus, it all went black.

. ~ .

One by one, the students slowly began to wake up. Erisa's awakening was less graceful than that of everyone else's. She sat straight up as if she had awakened from a bad dream. She rubbed her forehead. She looked around at some of her classmates. They all had silver collars around their necks. Carefully, she reached up. She had one on, too. She shut her eyes.

The door was pushed open. A man walked right in. These children recognized him. He looked at every single one of them. He loved seeing the looks of pure terror which they held on their faces. Some of the girls were crying already. Good.

He smiled and said "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Battle Royale!"

It was then when the fear began to sink in.

_AN: Well, what do you guys think? This is going to be my next fanfic. It's going to go into all three days and tell the story of each of the characters. Please review, concrit is appreciated, but try not to be too mean. Thanks so much for reading. Review?_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Satō-sensei?!" a boy shouted.

Yemon Satō gave them all a wide grin. Everyone took a step backwards, except for one. Erisa stood up and stared at him. No emotion was displayed upon her face.

He remembered her. He remembered everyone. Half the time, they were terrible to him. They called him names, not just behind his back but also to his face. He received death threats. They made it rather clear that they hated him. Well, most of them. Maybe that is why he enjoyed this so much.

He took a seat. "Hello, everyone. How have you all been? Good?" Some students nodded. Others just stared. None of them spoke. "Well, that's fantastic. Any of you guys miss me?" he asked in what seemed to be a joking manor.

"Enough! Why are we here?!" a girl screeched at the top of her lungs. Her hand was firmly grasping the collar around her neck.

"I wouldn't pull on that, if I were you. It might explode." Anyone whose hand happened to be fiddling with it stopped immediately. He smiled again. This was going to be a fun three days.

. ~ .

Tadashi Sasaki knew what was happening. He actually paid attention to politics, unlike everyone else in his class. He knew what the hottest debate was for the past two years. He loved politics, you see. He hoped to make that his career one day. He knew that as he stood there any chance for a future, never mind a highly successful one, was dim. He didn't want to die, but he couldn't kill.

He heard all the people around him talking. They were terrified.

"Where are we?"

"I don't know, I fell asleep and now we're here."

He knew that it was going to happen to someone. He was even thinking about watching it on television. For the experience. For science. For . . . damn, he couldn't even think of a good reason. He planned upon watching it out of sheer curiosity. He never planned he'd have to live it.

"I don't understand."

"I want to go home."

It would be someone else's class. He wouldn't have to do it. It would be someone far away with absolutely no connection to him. "Aw, I guess that's too bad," he'd say. He would know about it, but it wouldn't really do any harm to him. He never guessed that he would be the one to kill. Who knows? Maybe somewhere in the world at that exact same time, someone had heard of the selection of Fukuoka Junior High School's Third Year Class C, and was shaking their head and saying "Wow. That's too bad, isn't it?" Maybe they would feel remorse. Maybe they would feel pity.

Still, they all had it easy. They wouldn't have to feel the fear.

. ~ .

"The BR Program. Ever hear of it?" Satō asked the students. "It was arranged to keep teenagers like you under control. It is a reminder of who is at the top. Adults. Please remember that you've all brought this upon yourselves. Every single one of you in this country. You teenagers are all to blame."

"Us? B-But we didn't do anything!" a girl shouted. She was crying. Tears were continuously streaming down her cheeks.

"Shut up, girl! Don't speak when an adult is talking to you!" Satō snapped. He recalled this girl as one who had a very hard time listening.

"Why are we here?! We didn't do anything! Let us go home!" the same girl, Utayo Gotō screamed.

Satō stood up and reached into his pocket. He took a step closer to the students. He was literally right next to Erisa. In one swift, silent motion he threw an item at the young girl. It hit her with a "_thwap"._ Someone screamed. Erisa didn't look. She didn't need to. She kept her eyes on the chalkboard at the front of the room. There was no writing on it.

. ~ .

Utayo Gotō fell to the floor. Her best friend Yuka screamed first. Other people started to as well.

"Utayo! No!" Yuka was the only one who could manage to make her thoughts into words.

Utayo's breathing came in rapid, sharp patterns. Her eyes were fixated upon nothing. "Y-Yuka?" her voice came out as something less than a scratchy whisper. It was so close to inaudible. Only one person heard it. Yuka Matsuda watched her best friend die right in front of her with a knife embedded in her head. No more words were said.

"_Is it. . . Is it really possible . . . for the adults to hate us so much?"_

**Girl #21, Utayo Gotō – Dead **

**41 Students Remaining **

. ~ .

A heavy silence filled the room. It lasted for a total of 2.35 seconds before nearly everyone started screaming and running around, looking for any way out. Some tried for the windows. Some tried to get to the door. A total of eight refused to move at all. Erisa Sakamoto was one of them.

After a few minutes of pure panic, the guards stepped in. They shot at the ceiling, at the floor. Eventually, every student was scared into suppression.

Finally, someone spoke up. His name was Haru Ishikawa and he had tears in his eyes. He looked from the lifeless body of Utayo to Yemon. "I'll kill you, you bastard! Why?! Why Utayo?!"

With that, he ran forward and tried to tackle Yemon. A guard stood in front of the teacher and pointed his gun at the boy's chest.

Yemon Sotō remained completely calm. "Ishikawa, Haru. Man, you were a pain in my ass. You always complained. The only one you'd actually listen to was Gotō, wasn't it?" Haru didn't answer; he was staring into the eyes of the soldier in front of him. Silently, he begged the man to move. "You know, you might have had a chance in this game. It's a shame, actually. Such promising entertainment is wasted."

Yemon took out what looked like a simple laser pointer and aimed it at Haru's collar. It started beeping. "You've got exactly one minute before that thing around your neck explodes."

Haru did what most people would do. He panicked. He ran all around the room, only to be pushed away by those who weren't yet ready to die. He screamed and cried. He thought that these people were his friends. Why were they ignoring his desperate cries for help? What did he want them to do?

He stood in front of Sotō, right next to Erisa. He looked the teacher in the eye and said "I'll see you in hell." Yemon only smirked.

3. . . 2. . 1.

Boom.

"_Utayo . . . I should have told you how I felt about you, it might have changed this . . . still, you were worth it." _

**Boy #4, Haru Ishikawa – Dead **

**40 Students Remaining **

. ~ .

Erisa still stood strong, her eyes still locked upon the chalkboard. She did not move. She did not look away. Her hands balled into fists. She bit her lip. Yemon looked at her as if she was going to act out and end up like Haru or Utayo. "No," she decided silently. "No, I won't."

She looked away from Yemon and down to what was on the floor to her left. Blood had sprayed from Haru on to her. She did her best to ignore it. Still, she glared at him. His stupidity could have gotten them all killed.

She looked back to their teacher as he said, "Now everyone sit down and shut up." Everyone did so, except Erisa.

Maybe it was an act of defiance. Maybe it was an act of hatred. Maybe it was just Erisa being Erisa. She remained standing.

"Erisa!" Ruriko called. "Please, sit!"

Erisa ignored her. Soon, other people were calling to her, too. She couldn't hear them. Yemon stepped towards her. "Problem, Sakamoto?" he asked.

Erisa felt a hand lightly place itself on her shoulder. She looked to the person it belonged to. "Erisa, please. Sit down with me," Kiyoshi said. There was something in his eyes. It was something that made her sit right next to him.

"Now, let me explain the rules," Yemon sat on the desk at the front of the room. "You are all going to kill each other. That's it. Kill any way you like. You will be receiving a backpack with food, water and a random weapon. Some weapons will be powerful while others," he chuckled. "Well, you'll see. Plus, you can take the backpack you brought for the trip."

The students were all too shocked to say anything. They heard the words but they did not truly sink in.

The teacher continued anyway. "You have a total of three days. One person is to be left standing. If there is more than one person left alive, you will all explode. I will be making announcements four times a day telling you which of your classmates have died and where the danger zones are. If you go in a danger zone once it is activated, your pretty little necklace will submit a signal and you'll end up like Ishikawa here.

"The winner goes home and lives a normal life. Plus, you'll get a really nifty little picture signed by the Dictator! Isn't that cool?" He sounded as if he was so happy and filled with great energy. No one answered.

"Tough crowd, eh? You all want to get down to business!? Good, that's good. We'll pick a random student number and one by one you'll take your bags and leave. Before we start, are there any questions?"

A boy stood up. His name was Akira Nakano. He spoke clearly as he asked "How were we chosen for this?"

The teacher shrugged. "Random selection. Aren't you guys lucky?"

Akira looked as if he was going to sit down. Instead he said "One more?"

The teacher nodded. "Certainly, Nakano."

"What about our parents? What did you . . . ? " he trailed off, somewhat afraid to continue.

"They've been notified. They know you're here, don't you worry about them. There are more important things to fear. You think your classmates won't kill you? Every person in this room is capable of murder. The only question is: who will become victorious through it?" Everyone glanced at each other. Whatever form of trust there might have been had been destroyed with a few simple words.

"Now, let's begin." He grabbed a piece of paper from the desk and proudly announced, "The first of you to leave will be. . . Boy #18 - Kondō, Naoko."

The boy got up, grabbed his bag and ran without looking back. He was crying and he did not want to appear weak.

"We will now continue from there. Girl #18 – Sakamoto, Erisa." She stood up, grabbed her backpack and was handed the bag with a weapon. She paused before leaving and looked at all of them one last time.

"E-Erisa," Ruriko called. As much as she hated to do so, Erisa ignored her.

She spoke to all of them at once as she said, "Best of luck to you all."

Erisa walked down the hallway towards the darkness outside. She heard Yemon saying "All right! Did you see her? She looked a little enthusiastic! I'd watch out for that one. Next is Boy #19 - Fujiwara, Akako."

She stood outside. It was obvious by her surroundings that she was on an island. It was either really late at night or really early in the morning.

Then, she did the one thing that was expected. Erisa Sakamoto ran.

_AN: Sorry if this chapter isn't that great .I just felt like I had to explain the rules. It will get better as it goes, don't worry. _


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Kaiyo Yamada was easy to get along with. If you asked anybody, they would tell you just that. She was somewhat shy and she was always polite. Perhaps the most prominent characteristic she had was loyalty. She would stick by her friends for as long as they needed her. She didn't know that she would be with them literally to the death. Then again, with a few minor exceptions, who did?

Anyways, let's not go into what could have been when we can openly discuss what was.

Kaiyo's loyalty knew no bounds. If anyone needed something, anything she was there. She never asked anything of anyone. She hoped that people would be willing to help her when she needed it. She would have liked having a little help in the future. That is not why she helped people, though. She did not expect them to return the favor. It was just a small, barely glimmering hope.

Hope. That is one of the first things that is destroyed once you enter the Program. Hope, trust, innocence. They are all gone. They simply disappear. Loyalty doesn't always fade right away, isn't that strange? Maybe the students still have a very vague bond with their classmates. Maybe they refuse to think that anyone could become a murder victim at the age of fifteen, never mind the murderer being a classmate.

Either way, whatever it may be, lives would be lost. Kaiyo had hoped that people would remember what she did for them. Maybe they could spare her just once and she would never bother them again. She could slip by and wait until the whole Program was over. She thought that maybe, just maybe she could win. She forgot that even if she waited it out and was one of the last two, she would have to kill in order to escape an early death.

She knew. They wouldn't hurt her. They couldn't. Maybe she could meet up with someone and they could survive together? It would be harder alone. Everyone knew that. That's why someone had to want her on their team. They weren't all monsters. Right? She could have belief in that, right?

As soon as she exited the building, the first thing to greet her was an arrow to the head.

"_It's alright. . . I forgive you. . . I wasn't going to win, anyways . . . was I?" _

**Girl #11, Kaiyo Yamada – Dead **

**39 Students Remaining **

. ~ .

The boy in the bushes with the crossbow smiled. Another one dead. He couldn't kill them all, though. Not right away. Some of them might come in useful later, right? He couldn't kill them all; they might be able to lead him to the one person he wanted to find.

He made a promise as soon as he heard that they would be in the game. Without her noticing, he stole a glance at her face. He regretted it. He grew reattached to her, no matter what he did to try to distance himself. They were all going to die anyways, right? Why not protect the one he loved?

He knew that he was young and that anyone out there would make fun of him for claiming to have experienced love, but he knew. He knew it was real. No matter what she said to him, no matter whatever aggravated glance she threw his way, no matter what she did, he would love her. It was a funny feeling, actually. He had never felt it about anyone else.

He thought about her all the time. The way she laughed when she thought no one was looking, the way her brow furrowed when she discovered a difficult academic problem, the way he life was worth more than anyone else's. He would gladly kill for her. He'd do anything for her. If he could only find her. . .

Daisuke Yamazaki sighed and stood up. The boy behind him was still clinging on to his life. He coughed up blood and spit it at Daisuke.

"Wow, Umi! You're still alive?! Congratulations. Breathing is perhaps the only thing you can do well, isn't it?" Daisuke kicked Umi Ōta in the stomach as he walked away. For good luck.

. ~ .

Umi's breath was slowing. He knew he was dying. It wasn't fair. It wasn't.

He thought that Daisuke was his friend. When Umi saw Daisuke's weapon, he didn't think that there would be any harm in turning his back to his friend. Daisuke was powerful, but what could he do with a sample of men's cologne? That's right. Daisuke's original weapon was a cologne sample. Useless, huh? That's what Umi figured. He was wrong.

Well, he was right about it being useless, but he was wrong about Daisuke. When Umi turned to walk away, Daisuke leapt on him. It was unexpected. Umi didn't have the time to reload the crossbow, never mind aim it. Daisuke was an excellent fighter. He punched, he kicked, and he won. He knew that Umi was down, but he still managed to smash the smaller boy's head against a rock which lay on the ground.

Daisuke was aware of how powerful he was. He senselessly beat Umi Ōta to the death. Almost.

Umi was still conscious and slowly dying. His senses were numbed. The only feeling of pain that registered was Daisuke's foot in his stomach. That sent him over the edge, howling in pain.

Daisuke walked away and was gone. Umi was now not afraid to show his weakness. He cried. He thought about his mother. He called out to her, but he knew she couldn't hear him.

She had raised him all on her own. His father left one day. He said he was going to the store to get a pack of cigarettes and he never returned. Umi was four years old. From that time one, he did anything he could to make his mother proud of him. He wanted to step up and be the man of the family. He was, too. That's the terrible part. He got a job so she could quit hers. He would do anything for her. She loved him. She loved him more than anything. Umi forgot that sometimes. Self-confidence was his weakness. He would die thinking that he wasn't good enough. Now he was leaving, just like his father.

"Mom?! Mom, I'm sorry. I can't be. . . I can't be. . . " No more words would come out of Umi Ōta's mouth. Umi was dead.

"_Mom?! Mom, I'm sorry. I can't be . . .I can't be . . . to you what you are to me." _

**Boy #13, Umi Ōta – Dead **

**38 Students Remaining **

. ~ .

Erisa stopped. She was tired. She was completely out of breath. Considering that she was the first one out, she figured that it was safe to assume that she was far enough away from everyone to take a break.

She sat down. It was then when she finally got to observe the land around her. It was pitch black outside, but she could tell that there was a beach nearby. She could smell the salt and hear the waves pounding upon the sand. Obviously, there was a pretty thick jungle. What else was there? Erisa didn't know and she didn't care. It could wait.

She unzipped the backpack. On top was a flashlight. She knew it was a risk to do so, but she turned it on. Inside was a map and a pen, obviously to mark off the danger zones. Also, with the map there was a folded class picture. Who in their right mind would want that? Erisa did. Below the picture was a loaf of bread and a water bottle. She dug a little deeper to find her weapon. Once she did, she smiled.

. ~ .

She held her weapon. Well, that's a little inaccurate considering that it was sort of . . . huge. She heard someone approaching. She hit the weapon behind hr back.

"Who's there?!" she asked, her voice loud and clear.

"It's m-me! Kiyoshi!" a terrified voice said as he came a bit closer.

"Kiyoshi?" Erisa asked. The boy had a flashlight and pointed it towards her face, causing her to squint. He then put it on the ground. They could now see each other. He moved even closer. He needed someone.

"Erisa!" he sighed with relief. "I'm glad it's you."

She faked fear in her voice as she said "You wouldn't try to kill me, would you?"

Kiyoshi laughed. "No, I swear it." He could tell by the look on her face that she didn't believe him. He tried to prove it. "We're friends," he added. The words on the bus which were said before the two of them entered this hell.

She pulled out the extremely sharp machete which had been in her bag. The blade alone was approximately fifteen inches long and incredibly sharp. She held it towards Kiyoshi.

"Show me your weapon," she ordered. He looked completely shocked. "Show me your weapon!"

He held up his hands as if in surrender. He slowly reached into his pocket. When he brought his hand out of it, his weapon was in his hand. His assigned weapon was a common ballpoint pen.

_AN: Well, here's chapter three! I hope you guys like it. The next chapter will probably be a little better, though. Special thanks to Aeyra and evanrules8 for reviewing! To _

_Aeyra – Thanks so much for the concrit! _

_evanrules8 – I agree with you. I don't want their deaths to be meaningless. What did you think of this chapter? _

_I'll keep updating and I hope you both (and maybe a few others) keep reviewing! _


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Aika Maeda had been walking home from an after-school event the first time she officially met him. She didn't see him walking along the same street as her. She stopped to take something out of her purse.

That's when it hit her. Bam.

It literally knocked her backwards and began licking her face. She started laughing.

"Hoji! No! Bad dog, get off her!" she heard someone approaching. Suddenly, someone grabbed the dog's collar and began gently pulling him away.

"I'm so sorry!" the boy said while helping Aika up. She still had that smile on her face.

"It's no problem," she assured him. "I didn't know you had a dog. I'm sorry, I don't even know your name," she admitted.

"I'm Akemi. Akemi Yamasaki. This here," he gestured to the canine beside him "is Hoji."

"I'm Aika Maeda. It's nice to meet you, Yamasaki."

She began walking and he walked beside her. She was glad to have the company. "You're new here aren't you?" she asked him.

"Yep. I transferred over here from Kyoto last week. We're in the same class," he said with a smile and a slight blush.

How could he have been smiling? That is the question. He had been having a hard time adjusting to the third year class. The groups had already been formed and people already had their friends, as expected. Akemi thought he had a chance. Back at home, he was what one would possibly call "popular". He had a lot of friends and they all shared a lot of laughs. Some of them even cried when he moved. He thought he could make new friends. He had tried, but unfortunately, he had failed.

Aika suddenly felt bad, for she was no exception.

Little did either of them know that in a mere three weeks, they would officially declare themselves a couple.

. ~ .

Another thing that neither of them knew was that approximately five months later they would be the first group of students chosen for the Program.

Akemi had waited for her. Other students had intended to wait for their friends, but very few of them actually succeeded in this task. Perhaps they ran away because they were frightened. Maybe they thought that their friend was not worth risking their own life for.

Whatever it was, it does not apply to this case. Akemi Yamasaki had waited for Aika Maeda.

When Aika stumbled out of the school, tears were pouring out of her eyes. When she heard Akemi call out to her, she couldn't believe it. She thought she had died and that it was the voice of an angel going to take her to her own heaven. There were no angels there.

"Akemi?" she hugged him tightly.

"I'm here," he said softly. "I'm here, its okay."

"I thought you were gone forever or that I'd never see you again," she said.

He looked over her shoulder and saw the next student coming out of the building. "Come on, we have to go." He put his arm around her shoulder and together they walked.

They walked rather slowly. They just didn't care anymore. They did not need to tell each other that they would not be playing, the other already knew.

"Can you believe that we were chosen for this game?!" Aika whispered into the darkness.

"Can you believe that people would actually play?" Akemi asked back.

"Yes," Aika said. "I can. What about Sakamoto? You saw that look on her face. Even Satō-sensei said that -"

Akemi cut her off, "Please. You know she wouldn't kill anyone. He just said that to set us against one another."

"Fine, maybe not Sakamoto. What about Yamazaki or Murakami?"

"I haven't known them long, but I'd guess that Yamazaki is all talk and no action and Murakami wouldn't have the nerve. Why are you targeting the people that have it the hardest?" he hadn't meant to say that last line. She knew it. It had just slipped out.

"You're right," she sighed. "I'm a terrible person."

"No! Aika, no you're not. You're a logical person."

They drifted away into a silence that lasted about five minutes. Then Aika broke it by saying, Akemi, they said once every student left, the school would become a danger zone."

"Yes? I know."

"We're not close to the edge are we?"

"No we're not. I know that, too."

He stopped and sat on a rock. From there, you could see the ocean and the son rising just over the horizon. "Aika, if you want to play, you can go. I'm not playing, I refuse. Would you like to know why?" She couldn't speak. Silently, she nodded. "Because we can't win together. There can only be one winner and I don't want to go home without you. Besides, what do I have back there?"

"What are you talking about?! You have your father and Hoji and all the people back in Kyoto," Aika wanted to change his mind. Maybe she wanted to survive.

"Trust me, I know my dad. He protested, I know it. He's a very brave man, there's no way he'd let them take me. He's gone now. They probably shot Hoji too, for amusement. Kyoto? They've gotten along fine without me so far. The only thing I really have, Aika," he paused and looked into her eyes "is you."

She sat with him. "I-I love you, Akemi."

"I love you, Aika Maeda. I swear I would have made you my wife." They sat in silence for yet another moment before he said "Beautiful, isn't it?"

Together, they looked at the incoming dawn. Their side of the world was just awakening. "It is," she said. Neither of them pointed out that it was the last dawn that they would ever see.

In a scary unison, their collars began to beep. They each blocked out the image of Haru running around blindly before his death. They embraced each other and in a moment, they were gone.

Many say that a person sees their life pass before their eyes as they die. That is not what Akemi and Aika saw. They saw what could have been.

A wedding. A child. A school where that child would be safe. Age. Grand-children. Peace. Happiness. Just like that, their futures were washed away.

"_Aika Maeda . . . is it really possible. . . for someone like you to exist? . . . Or have I been dreaming all along? _

**Boy #20, Akemi Yamasaki – Dead **

**37 Students Remaining **

"_Akemi . . . there is so much I have to say to you . . . I wish we could see a new dawn tomorrow. . . At least I die in the comfort of your arms." _

**Girl #1, Aika Maeda – Dead **

**36 Students Remaining**

. ~ .

Tadashi Sasaki hated himself for being right. He knew he couldn't win. His weapon didn't add to his chances either. A sock, really? It wasn't even a pair of socks; it was a single sock. It even had a hole in it!

"Well this is just great! This is just really fucking great!" he yelled to the sky. He couldn't even see it completely because the thick jungle foliage blocked his view.

He heard laughter behind him. "It is great, isn't it?! In fact, it's so great that words can't describe it! Let's get right to the action, shall we?"

A lone figure jumped out of the shadowy plants and placed its hands on Tadashi's shoulders. It laughed again. "Recognize me?"

"N-No," Tadashi choked out.

"Aww, that's too bad. You'll never get to know your killer! Ah, well. Can't win 'em all, can we?"

With that, a single metal object sliced the air, traveling through Tadashi's neck. The assailant put it to her side as the boy fell to the ground.

She laughed yet again and fave a smile that no one could see. She grabbed his bags and said "See ya later!" and skipped away.

"_Damn it. . . The one time I knew I was right. . . is the time I wish I was wrong. . ._ "

**Boy #16, Tadashi Sasaki – Dead **

**35 Students Remaining **

. ~ .

Kama Murakami felt sick. The nice girl act had taken a lot out of her. She'd have to remember not to be nice to her future victims. Still, Tadashi had never bothered her. That didn't mean that he was to be spared.

She had heard something. It was off to her right. It was loud and it was close. Her grip tightened around the sickle which had been in the backpack she had been assigned. She smiled. This time, it was an evil smile. She was going to win it, wasn't she? She ran off to the right, closer to the noise. "Another target is about to go," she thought.

She didn't know that if she went a little ways to her left, she might have been able to take two other targets by surprise. She might have been able to kill Erisa Sakamoto and Kiyoshi Okamoto. But that would have made the game a lot less fun.

. ~ .

Fumika Ishii wasn't supposed to be in this game. She was better than all of the others! She was the most popular, the prettiest, the smartest, the cutest girl in the world! At least, that's what she thought. Little did she know that her makeup was running because of the tears. She was oblivious that her pink nail polish was chipping off. She ignored the fact that she was covered in icky sweat. She was beautiful. Every boy wanted her and every girl wanted to be her.

She realized her errors while in the program. She wasn't perfect. It took reality to be brutally shoved down her throat in order for her to understand that. She was genuinely, truly sorry.

She heard a chuckle. Despite the fact that it was getting brighter and brighter with the incoming dawn, she still couldn't see properly. "Who's there?" she asked, sounding more confident than she really was.

"Fumika Ishii, you made my life miserable. You managed to make every single day into a living hell for me. Prepare to pay for it. Prepare to die!"

A strong force hit her from behind. Something sharp dug into her back. This time, the killer had the sense to roll her victim over so she could see who had bested her.

"K-Kama Mura-a-kami? I-I'm s-so sorry," were the last words that Fumika Ishii would ever say.

She looked into the eyes of the girl she had picked on for an uncountable number of years. It was obvious that Kama didn't expect an apology. She laughed and spat blood.

Fumika, the girl who had once been so proud, let out a heart wrenching, inhuman scream. She was dead.

"_I am sorry, Kama. . . I'm sorry to everyone. . . We all could have been . . . should have been . . . friends." _

**Girl #6, Fumika Ishii – Dead **

**34 Students Remaining **

. ~ .

"What the heck was that?!" Kiyoshi asked.

Erisa shrugged. "I don't know. Unless you want to stick around to find out, I suggest we head in the opposite direction." She began to walk away.

Kiyoshi didn't follow. "Shouldn't we see if they're alright?" he asked himself.

"Kiyoshi?! Come on. Remember, you're the one who wanted an alliance. Don't slow me down. Come on!" Erisa said impatiently.

Against the will of Kiyoshi's conscience, they moved on.

_AN: Well, what do you guys think? I wanted to make the Aika/Akemi scene right, how'd I do? Also, I have a feedback question that I want to ask you guys. Aika guessed that Erisa would be one of the killers. Do you think that Erisa will be a killer? I just want to see the result that her first impression gives. (Side note: This story is about the whole class, much like original "Battle Royale" but the true main character is Erisa, much like Shuya.) So what do you think? Is she a killer or not? Thanks so much for reading! Make my day and leave a review too? _


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"Hello everyone! I assume that you're all awake?" the voice of Yemon Sotō was broadcasted to the entire island. Of course, no one was sleeping. How could they?

Erisa sat up. Kiyoshi was next to her and the sun was out. It was a beautiful island, a peaceful island.

"So, I'm here to give you the list of your dead friends and the upcoming danger zones. Sound fun?" Erisa quickly took out her map and the picture. She glanced at everyone's name written below it. "Girl #21 Utayo Gotō, Boy #4 Haru Ishikawa," he gave a slight chuckle. Erisa scowled. Yemon proceeded to tell them all of the names. Erisa crossed each name off the list at the bottom. She couldn't cross off their faces. She wanted to remember them. "A total of eight dead this morning! How many more will there be today? I'm very curious. The danger zone is E-6. You guys know what will happen if you stay there. I'll be seeing you later! Well, maybe not." He laughed and nothing more was said.

"E-6?" Kiyoshi asked.

"That's where we are," Erisa said. "Shit. I was planning on staying here for a while." She stood up. "We've got to move again. The zone's going to be activated soon and I don't really want to be here for that."

She grabbed her bag and Kiyoshi stood up and grabbed his. "Are you playing?" he asked seemingly out of nowhere as they walked.

"Playing? Not really. I just want to survive, you know?" Kiyoshi nodded. "Are you?"

Kiyoshi laughed. "Of course not, Erisa! You should know that."

"No one knows you, Kiyoshi."

. ~ .

Yuka Matsuda was crying. It was too much for her. Utayo Gotō was her best friend. She kept hearing her friend's last word playing over and over again in her mind. "Y-Yuka? Y-Yuka? Y-Yuka?"

They had always been friends. She wished she could remember the first time they spoke to one another, but she couldn't. They had literally grown up together. They went to the candy shop together, they gushed over boys together, they laughed together, they died together. No, but Yuka wished that they had. She knew that she should have stood up for her friend. It should have been her, not Haru.

She wanted to play and then kill Yemon Sotō. She couldn't, though. She knew that. Utayo wouldn't let her. Utayo would never forgive her if she tried to take vengeance.

Yuka smiled through the tears as she thought of the confession day.

"Yuka? You like someone, right? Someone in our class?" Utayo had asked one day.

"Maybe," was Yuka's response, but her blush gave the true answer away.

"Ooh, who is it?!"

"Not telling!"

"I'll tell you mine!" Utayo offered.

"Oh, please. Everyone knows that you have a crush on Ishikawa, isn't that right?"

Instead of blushing and saying "Can't prove it!" she took the more adult-like approach. "Yep. Haru is my crush. I think he likes me back. Do you think he likes me?"

Yuka laughed. "Of course he does! He's completely in love with you!"

Utayo was smiling silently for a few minutes. "Who do you like, Yuka?"

Yuka sighed. "Fine, I'll tell you but you have to promise not to tell!"

"We've known each other our whole lives! Do you really think I'd tell anyone?"

"I like. . . Yamazaki."

Utayo laughed. "No offense Yuka, but you're hopeless." Yuka was not offended. It was true.

What a strange memory to recall at that very moment. Yuka could have thought of anything else. She could have thought of her parents. Maybe her little sister could have passed through her mind. No, instead it was her dead best friend and her never-would-be boyfriend.

"Yuka? Is that you?" someone whispered.

Yuka panicked. She quickly took out her weapon and aimed it towards where the voice had come from. The small pistol seemed a whole lot heavier than Yuka ever thought it would be. "Who's there?!"

Someone came out of the shadows. He had a happy, relaxed smile on his face. He held up his hands in mock surrender. "It's only me. Daisuke."

"D-Daisuke?" Yuka thought that it was too good to be true.

"Yeah," he said in a friendly tone. "You haven't seen anyone else, have you?"

"N-no. I haven't seen anyone yet. What about you?"

He gave a small laugh. "Well, I killed Yamada and Ōta. I'll be taking that gun of yours."

"Huh?"

Daisuke pushed her backwards. The gun flew out of her hand and he quickly grabbed it. He aimed it right at her heart.

"But Daisuke. . .I thought. . ."

He laughed again. "You thought what? That I was going to protect you?! You really are stupid. There are only two things you can do for me. The first is to give me information, which you have none of. The second is to give me a weapon, which you've done. Now you'll die." He shot the pistol and she did.

"_Looks like our roles were reversed, Utayo. . . You had someone who loved you. . . You were lucky. . . I must admit, I wish I had got to have that. . . Just once. . . _"

**Girl #20, Yuka Matsuda – Dead **

**33 Students Remaining **

. ~ .

It was right around two o'clock in the afternoon. Erisa Sakamoto and Kiyoshi Okamoto had long since moved away from zone E-6 and were surrounded by the illusion of temporary safety.

The two of them had stumbled into a circular field. All around the field was the dense jungle.

"Kiyoshi, I think it would be in our best interests if we left each other alone now," Erisa said with a sad tone in her voice.

"What?! Erisa, why –"

"Kiyoshi, what would you do if we were the last two?" she asked. Kiyoshi hesitated in giving her an answer. "Exactly. You don't know what you would do and I don't know what I would do. If it came down to that, to be honest, I might kill you. I've got a family I want to get back to. I want to buy Botan a bike." She gave a faint smile. It vanished. "I don't want to kill anyone. I'm going to find a place to hide all alone. That's why you can't come with me. Understand?"

Kiyoshi nodded. "You be safe, Erisa. You'd better win!"

"If I die, I want you to kill the one who killed me," she said. The words which would have been held back on any other occasion simply rolled off her tongue. She said it so easily.

Kiyoshi said, "Alright. Will you do the same for me?"

Erisa nodded without hesitation. "Sure."

"Goodbye, my friend," Kiyoshi was crying. That surprised Erisa.

She smiled. "Don't cry. Stay strong. We're friends and we always will be."

Kiyoshi turned and began to walk away. "Goodbye," he whispered again.

"Goodbye," Erisa answered. About a minute passed and Kiyoshi was nearing the edge of the field. He was obviously walking slowly. There was so much more he had to say. He was secretly waiting for her to call him back.

Erisa ran towards him. He didn't see her coming. He felt a sharp, intense pain right in the center of his back. "Surprise!" she slowly pulled the machete out of his back. Blood poured out of the wound, all over the ground and on the attacker. Kiyoshi fell. "I guess I should say I'm sorry, huh?"

She sat down next to him. He was laying face down, but he could still pierce her eyes with his own. He was crying. His friend, the one he trusted, had stabbed him in the back, literally. They had been near each other for so long, he didn't understand.

"I'll still win, you know. I really will. I have to, don't I?!" she laughed to herself, the slowly dying boy beside her wanted nothing more than to go home. He could hear her, but he didn't want to. "It's a bit of a shame that you won't be there to see me do it. I wish I could have kept you around, but let's face it; you would have been dead soon anyway. You're too loud when you walk, you trust anyone and everyone, and you're hopeless!"

Kiyoshi didn't think that anyone would actually kill. He had known them for so long, the idea of them killing one another was unimaginable.

"Plus, you were the most innocent of us all. You thought we wouldn't hurt anyone. You actually believed that we could all be saved." She laughed. "You're so stupid. You have to face this, you have to face life. Well, you don't have to anymore, but it's the idea of the whole thing."

Kiyoshi wondered if his siblings were watching this. He knew that the Program was going to be broadcasted on television. He knew that his mother wouldn't stop them from watching. He knew that his family could see.

His two brothers and younger sister idolized him. He was perfect to the. He was their role model in the most innocent, sweet way. They worked together in perfect harmony. They loved their big brother. That's why they hated this. They hated this so much. No one deserved to take Kiyoshi away from them.

Erisa sighed. "I guess this really is goodbye. I didn't think I'd be able to do it. Ever since you found me, I've been asking myself "Should I? Could I?" and I guess I finally got the nerve to kill you. You deserved painless, but I don't think I hit the right spot. You're still alive, right?" She leaned over and saw the light in his eyes. The light of pain.

"Yes, you are. I hope we can still be friends, Kiyoshi. I really meant what I said back there. Then again, all friends are just pawns, right? That doesn't matter now. I don't have time to explain that to you; you're dying. I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to stay with you. You're the type that needs someone."

She leaned closer to him and brushed his bangs out of his eyes. She smiled at him. Kiyoshi thought that she still looked innocent. She lightly kissed his forehead. "Goodbye, Kiyoshi Okamoto, my friend," she said. She stayed with him for about three more minutes before feeling his pulse. Kiyoshi, the boy who had been betrayed by everyone he had ever known, was dead. Erisa smiled.

"_Still friends?" _

**Boy #9, Kiyoshi Okamoto – Dead **

**32 Students Remaining **

Erisa walked away. "I lied," she said to no one. She grabbed Kiyoshi's bags and emptied them. She began to put the items in her own bag until she felt something swoop by her head. She turned in the direction where it came from.

Ane Fukuda stood with darts in her hand. "Did you kill him, Erisa?" Erisa did not answer. "Did you kill him?!"

Erisa gave a laugh. "Don't tell me you loved him?!"

"Shut up," Ane hissed. "I could kill you with one of these. I crushed berries with them. Now, they're even more deadly than before. It's natural poison."

"Well, I could kill you," Erisa showed the girl the machete, "with this."

"Now, now. We don't have to take this so quickly. I was just saying that I could kill you. I won't. I can't kill anyone, Erisa. You should know. You and me, we could form a strategy! You and me, we could win!" Erisa laughed again. "Is my offer amusing to you, Sakamoto?"

"Yes, it is. I don't need anyone. That includes you," she said.

She ran towards the smaller girl and pushed her down. She held Ane's shoulders against the ground. No matter how Ane struggled, she knew she would not get away. "Please, Erisa. I have siblings just like you."

Ane had seven siblings. Out of everyone in the class, she had the most. She also happened to be the oldest. The Fukuoka family had had two sets of twins. Earlier that year, Ane's mother had passed away. The teenager swore to take care of all her younger siblings. She did that job well. She would have been a great mother.

"Oh, I know you do. Do you think that they're watching? Do you think that we should give them a show?" Ane shook her head. "We wouldn't want to make it boring, would we?"

"Erisa, I beg you. Please don't kill me! We were never the best of friends, but you're alright. We're the same! You've got a little brother. What's his name? Botan?"

"You don't deserve to say his name. You are nothing like me. You've lost. You're a loser. I hope you've enjoyed your time in the game." With that, Erisa dug the blade into Ane's chest. Ane screamed. "Shut up!" Erisa said. She put her hand over the girl's mouth. Ane bit her. Erisa quickly withdrew her hand. "Oh, fuck! That hurt, Ane."

Ane smirked just like Erisa. It was the last thing that she would do.

"_Oh, God. . . someone take care of them. . . " _

**Girl #3, Ane Fukuda – Dead **

**31 Students Remaining**

Erisa took Ane's items and quickly fled the scene. Not only had people heard the scream, but they recognized it. Ane was liked by almost everyone. She would be missed and there would be someone to blame, Erisa didn't want to be that person.

After all, a grudge held in the Program is the most deadly grudge of all.

_AN: Well, there's the answer to the question asked last chapter. Thank you for reading. Make a writer happy and leave a review? _


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Bachiko Fujiwara was always a very happy child. Not only was she happy, but she brought joy to everyone around her. She didn't realize it, though. She wasn't full of herself; she just wanted to make others happy. She absolutely couldn't stand seeing people suffer.

Bachiko's best friend was a girl named Leiko. Coincidentally, they shared the same last name. Everyone often mistook them for sisters. Sometimes, they forgot that they were only friends; it felt like they really were related. They were always laughing. It was very rare for you to see either one of them without a smile on their faces.

There was a third person with the last name of 'Fujiwara' in Fukuoka Junior High School's Third Year Class C. He was related to Bachiko and his name was Akako. They were twins, he was two minutes the elder. On the surface, it seemed that all was well.

As soon as he heard about the Program, Akako smiled. He couldn't wait. There was one thing that he had to do and he was going to do it whether it killed him or not. He had to find his sister, he had to.

That is what he did. He tried to think like her. He figured that she'd want to go to one of the buildings which had been vacated. She'd want protection. She'd want safety. He had headed for the town as soon as he stepped out of the classroom.

It was approximately three o'clock on the first day when he found her.

He saw her running down the paved street of the towns, going from building to building searching for anything that could be useful.

"Bachiko? Bachiko, is that you?" he called. He knew that it was risky to do so, but he didn't care.

"Akako?!"

She ran towards him and hugged him as tightly as she could. "Akako, what's happening?! Do you know?"

He held her tightly, too. How was he going to go through with this? At least he now had an excuse: the Program. "I know that we got out on the island just after six in the morning. The first announcement was at noon. Eight dead. Did you hear it?"

She nodded. "Can you believe it?"

"Of course I can. I also know that your name will be on the next announcement as well."

"W-What? What are you talking about, Akako?!" she asked, fear obviously in her voice. She was shaking.

He laughed. "Think mom's watching? What about dear old dad, huh? You were always their favorite. They loved you. Bachiko, Bachiko, Bachiko. That's what it was all about."

"Akako," she said softly "they loved you, too! You know it."

"Maybe a bit, but they always loved you more. I tried so hard to make them proud of me, but they didn't care. I could have been killed right out on the front porch and the only worry they'd have would be making you dinner."

Bachiko tried to pull away. He only held her tighter. "Akako, this isn't funny! Let go!"

"What do you think, Mom?!" he yelled to the sky. "What do you think of all this?! Both your kids in the Program?! That's hilarious! I'll kill her because of you!"

Bachiko had always loved her brother, despite what he did. As a kid, he would take her toys and hide them. As they got older, he began to ignore her completely and she didn't know why. She figured that he was just being a boy.

She also figured that there was no way he'd kill anyone while in the Program. She was wrong there, too.

He wrapped his hands around her neck. She tried to fight back, she really did. She kicked and scratched. Overall, she knew that she couldn't hurt him. She just couldn't. There was some invisible bond that she couldn't break. It was the bond of blood, the bond of brothers.

The fight she put up didn't matter. She knew what was going to happen, so did he. It was inevitable from the moment that she saw him coming towards her.

Bachiko, once a happy child, died a death filled with betrayal.

"_Akako. . . Mom. . . Dad. . . I thought that there was nothing more sacred than family?" _

**Girl #4, Bachiko Fujiwara – Dead **

**30 Students Remaining**

"Bye-bye, Bachiko," her brother said as he dropped her lifeless body.

"Bachiko?!" someone called. "Bachiko, get up!" Akako quickly turned around. The person calling to them was Leiko.

"Hello Leiko," Akako said calmly.

"Bachiko?! Cut the shit, get up!" Leiko's eyes were filling with tears. "Don't play games with me!"

"She's dead, Leiko. I killed her. Walk away now while you can." Akako said. He took his knife out of his pocket and held it tightly in his hand.

"You killed her?" Akako nodded in response. "No!" Leiko quickly took out her weapon. She held the silver pistol in her hand. It was loaded.

Akako did the first thing he knew to do. He turned and tried to run. Leiko screamed. She shot him five times. He was dead as soon as the first bullet hit his skull.

"_Mom? Dad?. . . Why? . . . Why didn't you love me?" _

**Boy #19, Akako Fujiwara – Dead **

**29 Students Remaining **

Leiko repeatedly pulled the trigger. No bullets would be fired. The weapon was now useless.

"You know," a voice interrupted. "You really should have saved your ammunition, Leiko."

She turned towards the speaker. Erisa Sakamoto stood there. Leiko looked to the body of Bachiko. She held the pistol against her head and pulled the trigger. An empty "click" was all she received. Erisa laughed and then laughed again.

"So you don't want to win, I take it?" Leiko didn't answer. She just stood there with the empty gun to her head. "I'm going to kill you," Erisa said. "And it's not because you want to die, it's because I want to win. Remember that, okay?"

Erisa walked closer. The machete was the only thing that separated the two girls. Erisa took another step forward and the weapon stuck itself into Leiko's stomach. She didn't even feel it.

"_Bachiko? . . . Bachiko? . . . You shouldn't have died this way. . . . Bachiko?. . . Where are you?" _

**Girl #13, Leiko Fujiwara – Dead **

**28 Students Remaining **

Erisa smirked. "Well, that was amusing."

. ~ .

Kinjiri Matsumoto wanted to find some sort of shelter. As he looked down at his map, he couldn't help but feel a massive pang of sadness. He wondered what had happened to the people that lived on the island. He figured that they were simply brought to the mainland for three days. At least, that's what he hoped.

He knew what it felt like to be literally ripped away from all that had ever been known. He had to move away when he was a child. He thought that it would be fun. He didn't understand why his parents had been too frightened to talk. He had tried to make them laugh, but all he succeeded in doing was making his mother cry. She had put her hand over her mouth before a scream could force itself out.

After that was somewhat of a blur to Kinjiri. He knew that there had been a car behind them. He knew that there had been an accident. He knew that a total of two people had died in that accident. He didn't understand what had happened.

What he didn't know was that his father was a glad rebel. He opposed the Dictator with all his heart, strength, and mind. Naturally, what would a Dictator do with a disobeying citizen? Make an example of him. In other words, the Dictator would send the word to kill him.

Their car had been run off the road. The first one to die in that incident was Kinjiri's mother. She had been sitting in the passenger side where as Kinjiri and his father occupied the front and back of the driver's side. The small car had flipped over.

Kinjiri looked to his mother first. She was always warm and inviting, but something had changed about her. Her eyes no longer had their usual light in them. She looked colder and emotionless. Her eyes slowly dimmed and her skin grew pale. Kinjiri was shocked. "Mom?" he managed to whisper. She didn't hear him. She was dead.

Kinjiri looked to his father, who had also been looking at the only person in the passenger side. "Miyu. Miyu, I'm so sorry," he had said. He looked to Kinjiri. "Are you alright, son?"

"Dad? What happened?!"

"We have to get out of here."

Kinjiri's father moved quickly and got his only child out of the car. A man walked out of the car that had slammed into them.

"Kazuya Matsumoto, this is what you get for opposing the great Dictator!" the man took out a gun.

Little did the man know that Kazuya had known of this long before it had happened. He knew that they were going to try to get to him,. He didn't know what time, he didn't know how it would happen, all he knew was that he had to be prepared to protect his child and his wife. He had failed at that and he knew it. That's why he wouldn't let his son die. He wouldn't die. The man across from them would.

With Kinjiri still in his arms, he shot the gun. All of the bullets had hit their designated target. Kinjiri saw it all. It was a miracle that he and his father had escaped and he knew it.

Ever since the day he saw the light of his mother's eyes slowly fade out forever, he had developed an irrational fear of death. He knew that everything would die one day, but he was terrified of that. He knew that his death would be sooner than everyone else's because he had cheated Death. How come his mother died and he didn't? Was he supposed to die there with her? He knew he would die young, but he didn't know that his curse would take his entire class down with him. It was all his fault, all his fault and he knew it. At least, that's what he felt. Maybe he was right, but it is more likely that he was wrong.

He couldn't believe that his classmates were playing. He couldn't believe that they were actually killing one another. Once upon a time, a long time ago, death seemed so far away. Now Kinjiri knew that it would come in less than two days.

Why were they killing each other, though? Why didn't they unite and do something? What would they do? What could they do?

Suddenly, something bumped into him before backing away.

"Ah! I'm so sorry!" it said.

"Sakamoto?" Kinjiri asked.

"Yeah," she said almost shyly.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" That was classic Kinjiri. He always worried about everyone else. Erisa thought that it was rather foolish of him.

"Fujiwara. Fujiwara's dead."

"What?! Which one?!"

Erisa looked him in the eye and said gravely, "All three."

"What?!" he asked again. "Where?!" Erisa pointed.

"What happened?!" he asked himself after stepping close enough to see the bodies.

"Akako killed Bachiko because his parents hated him. Leiko came alone and went crazy after seeing her dead best friend and killed Akako. Leiko then shot herself," Erisa explained.

"That doesn't look like a bullet wound," Kinjiri observed.

"That's because it's not. The gun was out of bullets. I stabbed her."

"Wait, what? Is this a sick joke?!" Before he could turn and face her, he ended up wounded. A dart was implanted into his shoulder. "Erisa?" he asked.

"It's natural poison," she explained. "Sorry, I guess?"

Kinjiri gave a friendly laugh as if they had been the best of friends for all eternity. "Actually Erisa, this won't work like that. It would work if it was a massive wound, but this is extremely small. It would take a few days for me to develop symptoms. In other words, if I had been about to kill you and this had been your last hope, you would be dead. But that doesn't matter because I don't want to kill anyone and neither do you; you were just scared."

Erisa rubbed the back of her head in a casual way. "I knew it wouldn't work," she said. "I didn't make them. If I had made them, you would be dead."

"I have no doubts about that!" Kinjiri laughed. "Want to walk with me, Erisa?"

She shrugged and followed him. "Where are we going to go?"

"Wherever the path takes us."

They walked for less than five minutes before someone had begun to fire at them. It was a boy named Yukio Katō. They both knew that he was strong and they both knew that he was dangerous. Not only did he have a gun in his hands, but he also had a knife in his pocket.

Kinjiri threw his bags at Erisa. "Run, Sakamoto!"

"What?!"

"Run." He turned back to face her and he gave a smile. "Win."

"Thank you." With that, Erisa Sakamoto ran away from the boy who was almost guaranteed a death sentence.

Kinjiri took a step towards Yukio. Kinjiri had no weapons. He knew that he was going to lose this battle, but he put up a fight anyway.

He punched Yukio, and he got a few hits in. That did not change the course of this fight. Yuiko Katō won it by slicing Kinjiri Matsumoto's neck. The last person Kinjiri would see was Yuiko, but the personhe would think of in his last few minutes would be his father. Neither of them would see each other again.

"_It's alright." _

**Boy #8, Kinjiri Matsumoto – Dead **

**27 Students Remaining **

. ~ .

"You were a good guy, you know. You had to go and trust everybody, didn't you?! Well, you weren't as bad ass Kiyoshi." Erisa took his bag and looked for whatever his weapon was. Inside, she found a pistol, similar to Leiko's, except bigger. She smiled as if she was a child on Christmas day.

. ~ .

Ruriko Kobayashi was hiding along with her friends. She was one of a group of five. Excluding herself, the other members were Suzume Ikeda, Miwa Ibaraki, Hisa Mori, and Imako Suzuki. They had met up as soon as they left the classroom only a few short hours ago. Ruriko was one of the last ones out, but she was such a close friend, they all felt obligated to wait for her. Besides, there was one student after her. Why not form a group?

Ruriko hadn't wanted to join them. She had another friend that she wanted to join up with. She had slightly hoped that she would find Erisa waiting for her. Then again, Erisa was one of the first ones out and if she had waited for that long, it is probable that she would have been killed. She knew that, that's why Ruriko was somewhat ashamed of such a selfish thought. But aren't all humans at least a little selfish? That was one of the first lessons that they had learned and it was one that they wouldn't soon forget.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Ruriko was crying as they walked. The Program? How could it be happening? How could they be killing each other? Why? Who hated them that much? What did she do to deserve this?

Was it because she borrowed Suzume's lip-gloss and never gave it back? Was it because she would always yell "Baka!" at her cousins whenever they did something stupid? Was it because she didn't want to live the life she had? Was it because she was friends with a girl named Erisa? Was it because she was weak? Was it because underneath it all, she was happy?

No? No to all of those? Then why?! Why was it that Ruriko Kobayashi and the rest of her class had been chosen?

They did not know it, but it was because the Dictator and almost all of the rest of the Republic of Greater East Asia wanted to see them corrode. They wanted to watch as loyalty was tested. They wanted to see children, who know they cannot escape their fate, kill each other. They wanted to follow the drama. They wanted them to be punished. There were a lot of teenagers misbehaving and order was to be maintained, no matter the cost. A lot had been bad, but not all. No, not all.

. ~ .

Yaso Itō had never been a lucky child. Still, he was not unfortunate enough to believe that he had to worry about the Program. No one was that unlucky. Well, perhaps he was.

He had been wandering aimlessly. Of course none of his friends had waited for him. All he had was himself. Then, as if it was fate, he wasn't alone anymore.

Right in front of him. That's where she appeared. Rina Miura. She had unknowingly been his crush for as long as he could remember. He liked everything about her. She was always so kind to everyone. She'd share whatever she had and do whatever was asked of her with little to no hesitation. She wouldn't kill, though. She couldn't.

"Miura?" he asked.

"Yaso? Yaso, is that you?! Is it really you?!" she asked. She couldn't believe it. She was lucky she didn't run into someone else. She found a friend.

He ran towards her and hugged her. "God, Rina. I thought I'd never see you again."

"Yaso, I'm glad we're friends," she said through the tears.

"We always will be," he answered. Those words almost killed him.

"Could. . . could we have ever been more?" she asked hesitantly.

Now Yaso was crying, too. "Oh, Rina." He leaned in towards her and stole her first kiss.

"Whoa!" someone shouted. "I feel like I'm ruining the moment here!"

They both turned toward the voice. There they saw Daisuke Yamazaki. He would never admit it, but he was insanely jealous. He wanted that, but he knew that he wouldn't get it. He tried to convince himself that it was possible. She wasn't dead and he was strong. They could have survived. He was doing it all for her. Would she love him back?

She never even gave a passing interest in him at any time in either of their lives. She wasn't interested in him and he didn't know why he was so interested in her. He still had a chance, though. Maybe the Program would bring her to her senses. Maybe she'd love him. Maybe he'd have to kill her. Whatever it be, he knew that things would be changing.

"Yamazaki? What do you want?!" Yaso asked half-aggressively.

"I want what you've got," he said. Yaso's grip tightened around Rina. Daisuke laughed. "Don't worry, I don't want her. There's something else, but I want the same sort of reunion. Have either of you seen anyone?"

"I saw Kiyoshi," came the quiet voice of Rina. "When I left, he was still outside. He ran, but I don't know why he waited that long." She also didn't know that Kiyoshi Okamoto would be on the next list of the dead.

Yaso shook his head. "I haven't seen anyone."

Daisuke nodded. "Thank you. Now, I'll have to kill you."

He took out the pistol which had belonged to Yuka Matsuda and pointed it at Rina. Yaso moved as if to protect her. The bullet hit him in the arm.

He pushed her away from him. "Run, Rina!" he said.

"I love you," Rina said. With that, she turned and ran as fast as her legs would carry her.

. ~ .

"Well, Daisuke. It's just you and me."

"That it is."

Yaso quickly took his weapon out of his pocket. It was a hunting knife. Before running into Daisuke, he felt rather confident of his abilities. Now, it was different.

But he had to win. He had to. He had to get back to her. Rina, his love. How could he abandon her like this?! He had to fight. He didn't want to kill, but he knew that he would if he had to.

He lunged towards Daisuke, knife in hand. Daisuke quickly moved to the left and grabbed Yaso's injured shoulder. Yaso gasped, but he would not scream. Instead, he reached up and knocked the pistol out of Daisuke's hands. "That wasn't nice, Yaso!"

Still, Yaso had to fight. He squirmed out of Daisuke's grip and they both made a jump for the gun. Yaso reached it first. He pulled the trigger.

"I'm sorry, Daisuke," he said. Was there really a girl waiting for him?

"Yaso?" Rina appeared. He hugged her. "I'm sorry, Rina! I had to, I had to."

"Its okay, Yaso. Maybe we can win."

"Maybe."

Unfortunately none of that happened. Yaso didn't get a chance to get out of Daisuke's grip. Daisuke never lost hold of the gun. Yaso Itō was shot through the eye.

"_God. . . Rina, I'm sorry. . . Maybe we'll see each other again. . . until then, live well." _

**Boy #15, Yaso Itō – Dead **

**26 Students Remaining **

. ~ .

Rina Miura would not stop running. Sure, she had fallen, but she had gotten right back up again. She was ashamed of herself for running. She should have stayed with the one she loved.

The tears streaming out of her eyes were blurring her vision. That's why, when she slammed into someone, she didn't know who it was. Unfortunately for her, it was Yukio Katō. With only a flick of his hand, she ended up with a knife embedded in her chest.

Rina was dead before she hit the ground.

"_Yaso. . . Really. . . It's alright. . . I didn't want to live without you, anyway." _

**Girl #15, Rina Miura – Dead **

**25 Students Remaining **

. ~ .

Yukio Katō gave a small sigh. Why were all of the people around him so fucking stupid? They could be killed so easily and he wanted to live. Therefore, they would die for him. Yukio thought that it was a worthy trade. The deaths of forty-one stupids for the survival of one smart, fair trade, right?

. ~ .

She was a terrible friend and she knew it. What type of person would watch their best friend cry? All she was planning on doing was following them; she would not interfere. If she did, she would have been greatly outnumbered. She would have to do something about that.

She followed behind them silently; like a shadow. They didn't even know that she was there. One began to drag a little behind. Maybe it was due to lack of physical training. Maybe it was because she was thinking.

She didn't even notice it, but she had been completely separated from her group.

She looked up when she realized the silence. "Guys?" she asked.

"Who's there?! Ibaraki?"

Miwa Ibaraki turned towards the person speaking. "Sakamoto?"

. ~ .

Yukio was going to win and he knew it. He didn't like killing, but he didn't mind it. He was proud to have a certain element of control which no one else had over another. He was proud to be feared.

He didn't really want to go home, and he would admit that to anyone, but no one bothered to ask. He hated his family. He hated his life. He just wanted to go home to spite them all. They would guess that he couldn't win and he would prove them wrong. That would have been his excuse, but he just didn't care anymore.

You see, when he had heard that he was going to be in the Program, he felt a slight push of joy. This joy overwhelmed him and terrified him. This fear slowly crept into his mind and he snapped.

That's why, when he slammed Mamoru Shimizu's head against a rock, a slight smile formed on the killer's face.

"_Shit. . . I should have played." _

**Boy #11, Mamoru Shimizu – Dead **

**24 Students Remaining **

. ~ .

Hisa Mori was crying. He had told her, he had told her that he loved her before going to fight Yukio. She knew, she knew. Why couldn't she say those words back to him? She couldn't utter that one simple sentence. Before he left, his eyes met hers. She hoped that he saw the words there, but she knew that he didn't.

It had always been that way, for the year and a half they had been dating. He was the first one to say those three simple words. "I love you." And Hisa never returned them. She was afraid to, she was afraid she'd be hurt again. She couldn't handle pain, so she ended up unintentionally hurting him.

She met up with him and another friend, Nagataka Yamashita. He accidentally stumbled upon the two. None of them were playing.

Unfortunately for them, a fourth person had found them. It was Yukio Katō. Mamoru sacrificed himself so she could get away. She was selfish and she knew it.

"Hisa?" asked Nagataka. "What do you want to do now?" She shrugged a response through the tears. "Whatever you decide, I'll protect you. You knew, right? You knew?" She gave a slight nod. "I've loved you for a long time. Mamoru, he didn't deserve you. Deep down, you knew it too. That's why you never told him that you loved him."

"That's not true!" she said.

"But it is! And now, the only way I can keep you is if we die together."

She began to back away from him, but he caught her anyways. "Just let me kiss you."

"No!" she screamed. "No!" With that, she reached into his pocket and pulled out his weapon. It was a meat cleaver, something that could be found in any kitchen. She hit him with it, trying to be free from his grip.

Again and again and again until Nagataka's body could withstand no more.

"_Whatever you decide, Hisa." _

**Boy #17, Nagataka Yamashita – Dead **

**23 Students Remaining **

Hisa heard laughter. "Wow, you managed to get two to fall for you! Mind telling me how you did that?! I might need to use it someday!"

Kama Murakami walked towards her. "I've killed two people," she said.

"What?" asked Hisa.

"I'm just telling you because it's about to be three."

And it was.

"_Mamoru. . . I . . . _"

**Girl #9, Hisa Mori – Dead **

**22 Students Remaining **

Kama looked over to the dead girl. "You're so stupid. I would have left you alone if you had stayed with Ruriko's group. But no, you had to go make yourself a target." She took a step to the body and ripped the knife from the girl's forehead. "Might need this." And she was gone.

. ~ .

"Yes, it's me," Erisa said to Miwa.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Miwa sighed. "I was worried for a moment. I know I never really got to know you, but I'm sure you're great. You and Ruriko shared some laughs, no?"

Erisa remained silent.

"I'm sorry, I'm just scared. I talk too much when I'm scared." Miwa held up her hand. "I also shake," she said with a bit of a laugh.

Erisa smirked. "Is it me you're scared of?"

"Of course not!" she exclaimed. "How could you think that?!" Erisa shrugged.

Miwa extended a gesture of friendship. She reached out and wrapped her arms around Erisa in a one-sided hug.

With a slice and a slash, Miwa was dead. Her friends never heard her scream.

"_Scared?. . . Why, yes. . . I am." _

**Girl #19, Miwa Ibaraki – Dead **

**21 Students Remaining **

. ~ .

Erisa looked at the class photograph she held in her hands. The names on the bottom were still crossed off in red. Those she had killed were circled, including Kiyoshi. She ran her fingertips over all of the names. She whispered, "You're all next."

_AN: Sorry for such a long wait, I've been wicked busy! Hope you all still like it! Review please? _


	8. Chapter 8

5

Chapter Eight

"Hm," said the man while staring at the screen. "They all seem to be in the same area. Maybe they still believe in each other?"

Yemon Satō laughed. "I don't think so. Pure coincidence. Besides, they're all dying. If they wanted to live they wouldn't all stay there, now would they?"

"Still, it is a possibility."

"Please. You're just reading into it too much."

The man smiled. "No, not at all. You're not looking at it enough. You probably don't even have a guess as to who will win, now do you?"

"You mean a bet?" Yemon asked. All of the people in the room looked up from the computer they were stationed at. "My opinion would probably be the most accurate and also the most biased, considering that I've taught these kids for a year in the past. Either way, we will have none of that in these halls. Do you all hear me?" Everyone around the room nodded. "It's about noon. Make it a danger zone. I'm going to read off the announcements."

. ~ .

Erisa Sakamoto was still following the group. They didn't even know it due to the fact that she was always so far behind them. She wondered where it was they thought they were going. There was nothing in the direction they were heading. Nothing.

"Good afternoon students!" a voice said cheerfully. "How about you all put down your weapons and listen to this? It seems as if many of you are gathered into one place. I advise that you either kill each other fast or split up. Keep in mind that zones with a lot of people in them will become danger zones."

As Yemon was reading the new danger zones off, Erisa was trying to think of a way to use them to her advantage. She couldn't think of one.

"Now the weaker ones who are no longer with us. Girl #20, Yuka Matsuda. Boy number - -" Yemon's voice seemed to be caught in his throat. Erisa looked up from the class picture and stared off in the direction of the school building as if she could see him. He quickly regained his articulation abilities. He cleared his throat and said, "Boy #9, Kiyoshi Okamoto." He proceeded to name every student. "Which makes a total of thirteen dead, if we didn't forget any unfortunate soul. Thirteen and eight last time makes a total of what? Twenty-one! That's right! Let me just say this right now: I don't think I've ever been more proud of any of you than I am at this moment. Enjoy your killings, try not to die. See you next time, if you're lucky enough!"

Erisa laughed.

. ~ .

Suzume, Imako and Ruriko were walking in a respectful silence. They had tried to convince their friend to stay, really they had. She left out of love. At least, that's what they told themselves.

"This is going to be a danger zone in less than an hour," Suzume pointed out.

"You think we don't know that?!" snapped Imako.

"What are we going to do?" asked Ruriko. The simplicity and bluntness of her question left them all in silence.

There wasn't much that they could do. They had no weapons. All they had received was a thin wire, a fan, and a key covered in rust. They assumed that it went to nothing. Still, Ruriko held on to it like she held onto her hope.

"We're going to get the fuck out of the danger zone as soon as we can," said Imako.

"Are you seriously that stupid?! Everyone's going to be getting out at the same time, we should just wait until everyone has already gone," insisted Suzume.

"That makes no sense. Do you want to explode?! It's no fun, just ask Haru!" shot back Imako.

"I think you're both pretty fucking stupid," said Erisa as she walked towards them.

"Erisa! When did you get here?!" asked Ruriko with a huge smile. She shrugged a response.

Ruriko walked over to her friend and embraced her in a hug. Erisa wasn't sure if she should return this gesture. She did, but almost with fear in her movements.

As soon as they let go of each other, their peaceful moment was shattered.

"Put your hands up!" yelled Suzume.

"We have a gun!" added Imako.

"Really? What a coincidence, so do I," was Erisa's calm response. She knew that they had no weapons. She knew that Ruriko wouldn't let them kill her even if they did. She knew that she could kill them. She also knew that she couldn't.

"Ah, one more thing?" asked Erisa. "I'm afraid that I'm going to have to be taking your weapons now. That is, if you have any."

"Who's going to make us?"

Erisa laughed, "You guys really are moronic." She quickly grabbed Ruriko and held her gun to her temple. "Weapons. Now."

Suzume's hands balled into fists. Imako chuckled. Ruriko went silent.

"Stop playing around. We all know that you wouldn't shoot her," Imako said uneasily.

"Do you really know that?" asked Erisa. "How well do you know me? How do you know I wouldn't do it?"

"We don't," said Ruriko. She was terrified. "Guys, we have no choice. Just give it to her."

Suzuma and Imako opened their bags and threw the so-called "weapons" in Erisa's direction, afraid to move closer.

"Now," said Erisa. "Drop your bags and run before I change my mind. You all might just escape with your lives."

They just stared at her. Their bags were all they had. Ruriko still stood with a gun to her head.

"Go, guys. You're my best friends and I don't want you to die for me."

They took a last look at her and glared at Erisa. It was as if the two moved as one. Together, they left. Erisa bit her lip. When they were out of earshot, she let out a laugh.

" . . . and I don't want you to die for me?! What kind of bullshit is that?!" Erisa said between a series of laughs.

"Hey, it was true!" Ruriko said with her hands on her hips. "They believed it, didn't they?"

"You knew I wouldn't kill you, though?"

"Of course!"

Erisa stuck out her hand. "Allies?" Ruriko shook it.

. ~ .

She went over his house once. Daisuke would never forget that night. His father was out of town for a few weeks and his mother hadn't been around since the day of his birth. He was alone.

It was the middle of the night. Someone was knocking at his door. He went to open it. He was genuinely surprised by who he saw standing there. "Why are you here?" he asked.

She smiled and chuckled. "Hi, Daisuke! Listen, my parents are fighting it out and I didn't want to stay for it. Got a place where I can sleep tonight?"

Daisuke melted the minute he saw her face light up in that smile. "Sure," he said. "Come on in."

She followed him into the small house. She was giggling. "Hey Daisuke? Want to know a secret?"

"Of course," he said while clearing the couch for her.

She laughed again. "I'm drunk." The giggles resumed. She jumped on the couch and laid down.

"Really?" he asked. He wondered why he hadn't smelled it on her the minute she first came in. Maybe he didn't want to/

She chuckled again. "Yep. But don't think you're going to get anything out of it."

He sat down on a chair and stared at her. "That's not what I was thinking," he said. Her eyes were closed. She looked peaceful. "Anything else you do which I should know about?"

"Everything," she said without opening her eyes.

"You tired?" he asked her. She nodded.

"Night, Daisuke."

"Goodnight, - "

Before he could hear himself say her name again, he snapped out of his memory. He didn't want to remember that night. Well, he did. In all honesty, he really did. But that meant he would also have to remember the next morning.

It was about eleven o'clock. He had just opened his eyes and realized that she wasn't on the couch anymore. He sat up and looked over towards the door. It was half open, with her still standing there. He would never forget the look she gave him. It was filled with so much hate. Then she left, just like that. They hadn't really spoken after that incident. But he loved her.

He didn't know why. He hoped he would figure it out once he saw her again. He loved her and he would find her. He had to.

_AN: It has been forever. I've been so busy finishing my COTC story, I totally forgot about this one. I was celebrating finishing one and was legit being so lazy, sitting, eating breadsticks, and planning new fanfics and I was like "Wait! I have First to finish!" And I decided that I wasn't going to really focus on reality today, I was just going to write. It was worth it. _

_Aeyra : I just realized today that I never answered your questions in my last AN. Hope you're still reading! And I thought that Akako could be a boy or girl name. And it wasn't originally, I've been noticing that a lot with this story, actually! One of the characters is named "Aika Maeda" and the actress who plays Noriko in the BR movie is named Aki Maeda and I didn't do it on purpose, I was just like ". . . oh?" _

_Anyway, I'll be updating this a lot more now. Please review! Thanks for reading!_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

For as long as she could remember, she hated her home life. The only place where she found relief was at school. Now don't get it wrong, she didn't like school at all. It was simply a place to go to in order to get away from her house. She didn't pay attention in class, she didn't talk to anyone, and she never did the homework, mainly due to the fact that she never actually wanted to go home. Besides, she couldn't be bothered by something so trivial.

Despite the fact that she didn't concern herself when it came to making friends, people knew of her reputation. They knew not to mess with Kama Murakami, at least not if they wanted to survive the rest of the week. Kama didn't care what they thought, they were not an obstacle, they were not a problem, they were not of any significance, they were just. . . there.

She didn't even know why she wanted to win the Program. She doubted that they could make her go to school again and at her age, she couldn't technically leave her mother's home. She didn't know why she did what she did in order to return there. There were a lot of things she didn't know.

Words can't describe how badly she wanted a cigarette in those moments on the island, that was just a hobby she had gotten herself into. Those cigarettes were her lifeline. Unfortunately, she was out.

. ~ .

Erisa and Ruriko were close to approaching the northeast part of the island. If they went all the way, they would have discovered a very calm, clean beach. Ruriko would have wanted to stay there, but Erisa would have convinced her that it would be best to find cover. But that did not happen and that is a memory they would not have.

Hidden high up in a tree were a few wooden planks, nailed in place. There were branches which made this location easy to get to, if one knew the places to step. Erisa spotted it first and together, the two girls climbed up to it.

"What do you think?" Erisa asked. "Probably doesn't get better than this, not here anyway."

That statement alone was enough to remind Ruriko that there was an outside world, even if there was almost no chance of her seeing it again. "So you think we should stay here?" he asked.

"Yes," answered Erisa. "People will have a bit of a harder time getting up to it and we'll see them before they see us."

Ruriko sat, glad that the space was large enough for one of the girls to be sitting while the other laid down. "You're not playing, right?" she asked, simply for assurance.

"Heck no!" Erisa answered. "I mean if someone was going to hurt me or you I would definitely fight them, but I wouldn't. . . . not intentionally. You know I'd never kill anyone."

"True. I'm sorry I don't even know why I asked."

"Listen," Erisa whispered. "I'm going to make sure that no one's in this area. I just want to check, okay? I'll be back before you can miss me."

Ruriko knew that Erisa wouldn't simply take "no" as an answer. As she was climbing down, Ruriko said "Erisa? Please don't. . .," she paused, looking for the right word, "die and leave me alone."

"I won't, I promise." And Erisa Sakamoto always kept her promises, now didn't she?

. ~ .

Yukio was so incredibly glad that he was walking alone. He knew that any of his classmates would have slowed him down drastically. He was pleased that there were no partners or alliances in his game, unless one made one for himself. And Yukio knew he didn't need to do that.

But he knew of people who had. Yukio always watched and observed his prey before making an attack, or he at least tried to. He knew that Naoko Kondō and Chikaaki Aoki were best friends, and each was strong enough to hold his own. He also knew that they had received a gun and a bamboo stick.

Luck played a big part in this game. It was pure luck that he had a gun too.

He sat in the jungle, watching them in the small, secluded house they decided to stay in. He would simply wait until one of the stepped in front of the window and he would blow them away. He smiled. It was almost too easy.

. ~ .

Chikaaki coughed into his sleeve. "Are you alright?" asked Naoko. "I'm a bit worried about that cough. Is it your asthma?"

"Yeah. I'm fine, don't worry about me. What's the worst that happens? I die?!" he laughed at his own joke.

"That's not funny," Naoko said as he reached into a cabinet, taking out one of the granola bars.

"We know it's going to happen. I'm not going to win. You're the one who got the gun."

"But that doesn't mean anything," Naoko said. He walked over to his friend, who was sitting on a small couch. He handed him a cough drop. "Here, this might make you feel be-". The last word would never come out of his mouth. Blood from his friend landed all over Chikaaki. Naoko Kondō had been shot through the neck with only one bullet.

"_Shit. . . I guess this is what happens when you help people. . . but Chikaaki, you were a great friend . . . like a brother. . . I just wanted. . . to help." _

**Boy #18, Naoko Kondō, dead **

**20 Students Remaining **

Chikaaki stayed where he was. "No. No, Naoko, you were supposed to win," he thought. "I can't. . . can't do it without help. I'm weak."

"I won't win. He'll kill me, whoever's outside. Unless I stop him." Chikaaki reached into his dead friend's pocket and took out the gun. "Five seconds, unless something stops me."

He heard the clock count down.

Five. . . . that's when he and Naoko first fought over a girl. They quickly got over it and decided that their friendship was much more important.

Four. . . . that's when he and Naoko shared a toy truck, exchanging ownership every day until it rusted and the wheels fell off.

Three. . . . that's when he fell down the stairs and cried but Naoko comforted him. But Naoko wasn't there anymore.

Two. . . . that's when he and Naoko sat in his mother's basement while the women gossipped about something that they didn't care about.

One. . . . that's when he had first met Naoko, birth. Now, it was time for death. He never thought that Naoko would be the one to die first.

Chikaaki then shut his eyes and put a bullet into his own head, eliminating Yukio's job.

"_Naoko. . . someone. . .please save me!" _

**Boy #2, Chikaaki Aoki, Dead **

**19 Students Remaining **

When Yukio got into the building after hearing the single shot, he saw a boy spread out on the floor, bleeding through his head. Yukio knew enough of wounds to say that he was most likely brain dead, but still alive. Yukio decided to end it all, with just one shot. Two boys dead, two shots fired.

. ~ .

Hisoka Fujii didn't believe in fate. He didn't think that anything was planned out, and that everything could be changed if one dealt with it in the right way. That's why he used humor.

But there wasn't anything funny about this situation. He didn't know what to do.

He stopped walking and sat down, listening to the peace around him. He wished his dog was with him. He loved his dog more than any person. He always cheered up the boy. But Hisoka was afraid he wouldn't see him again.

"No," he said. "I will!"

"No," a voice said behind him. "You won't."

Hisoka was stabbed through the back, unaware of it until the last moment, the moment when he got a glimpse of his killer. He went out like a sigh, like a dying laugh.

"_How odd. . . I didn't think you'd actually kill anyone, especially not me. . . we haven't even talked. . . Humans. . . so. . . funny." _

**Boy #5, Hisoka Fujii, Dead **

**18 Students Remaining **

. ~ .

Erisa went back to the little fort and climbed up to the top, grateful that Ruriko hadn't moved. She looked like she was going to fall asleep.

Her voice came out soft "Was there. . . anyone nearby?"

"No," Erisa said. "No one."

_AN: Happy Valentine's Day! Yes, I wrote this instead of eating candy like a normal child. I actually only got this chapter out today because of Sami, who left a very nice review saying that I would only be forgiven if I updated before 2/14/2013. Of course, I wait until the last minute. But hey, it's not VDay yet, so I should be forgiven. . . right? Anyway, I got the entire story planned out and will update more often. Please review, I'll write faster! And be sure to tell me any theories or character preferences. I hope you all have a happy holiday! _

_By the way, I'm on Twitter! If you want, follow LaineyK123 and tell me you're from Fanfiction and if you like, I'll follow back. Really, I love to chat, so send a message! Until next time!_


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

She wasn't dead yet. Daisuke knew that she could handle herself anyway, everyone knew. He wasn't even sure why he wanted to find her so badly, she didn't need the protection. Maybe he just wanted reassurance. Maybe he just wanted to be loved. Maybe he just wanted to see her one last time.

"I told you we should have followed them!" a voice said.

"And what?" another chuckled bitterly. "What would we do? Kill her in her sleep? We both know that we wouldn't be able to actually do anything."

Girls. They were both girls, but Daisuke knew that neither of them were his girl, for they didn't have her voice.

He walked over to them. He realized that it was Suzume Ikeda and Imako Suzuki, the girls that followed Ruriko around and treated her like a god.

"Go away, Daisuke!" Imako said. "We don't want to talk to you!"

"Sorry," he smiled a smile that would have gotten any girl to fall for him, except for the one which he truly desired. "But I'm looking for someone. Have you seen anybody?"

The girls glanced at each other uneasily. Daisuke could, in all fairness, be quite charming if he decided to. Plus, he did have the looks. This led to Suzume and Imako making a rather foolish mistake.

"We've seen some people," Imako said, remaining vague.

"Who are you looking for?" asked Suzume.

"That doesn't concern you," Daisuke said. "Who have you seen, how recently was it, and most importantly - where did they go?"

"Well, we saw Ruriko and Erisa until just a little while ago," said Suzume.

Daisuke couldn't believe his luck. But, he should have guessed it anyway, what with them being such close friends and all.

"Where did they go?" he asked calmly. Suzume pointed. Daisuke smirked. He had already won one of the major steps in this game, there was only a little bit more to do.

But what would he do once they were the last two? That thought which had always loomed over him was now even more prominent. Yet now, now he was close, so damn close. He wanted her to live, so therefore he would ensure it.

"Thank you," Daisuke said. Suzume barely noticed it, just barely, but she saw enough. As soon as his hand reached his pocket, she had turned and ran.

Imako realized too late. She spun around, but Daisuke shot her in the back. She screamed as she fell.

"_This was. . . a stupid game anyway." _

**Girl #10, Imako Suzuki - Dead **

**17 Students Remaining **

. ~ .

She was scared for one of the first times in her life. She never had a reason to truly feel fear, but now death was following right behind her. She was fast, yes, she had years of practice running to thank for that, but he wasn't slow either.

She needed help. She hated to admit it, since she counted herself as independent, but she did. She needed someone to save her, but her mother and father couldn't help her this time. So instead, she screamed, calling out for the one person she absolutely knew could help her.

"Erisa!" she called as she ran through the jungle, Daisuke following behind. "Erisa! Erisa! Help me, Erisa!"

She turned and turned, trying to make it so Daisuke couldn't see her ahead. Still, he wasn't one who was easy to lose. She paused, listening to see where he was.

A hand grabbed her shoulder and prevented her from moving. "Oh, God," she thought. "This is it, this is the end." Then she saw. Daisuke hadn't yet gotten a hold of her.

In his place stood Erisa Sakamoto, with her pointer finger held over her lips, gesturing for Suzume to be silent.

The two girls sat under the shadows of a large tree, hearing the frustrated Daisuke running around nearby.

"Damn it!" he growled. Then he thought. She did him a favor, he didn't need to kill her. "I will find you, do you hear me?!" But he wasn't talking about Suzume.

The two girls heard him storm away. Suzume breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Erisa. I was worried."

"Don't thank me, Suzume,"replied Erisa. "I didn't actually do anything. Just please don't. It'll only ruin what I'm about to do."

"What?" Suzume asked cluelessly, innocently.

"It will ruin it completely," Erisa said as she stood up. Susume mimicked her. "Suzume, stop it. Haven't you realized it yet?"

"What?" Suzume asked again, hating how child-like she sounded.

"No one can save you," Erisa said slowly.

Suzume knew, then, she was going to die by Erisa's hand. She had only one question : How? Erisa answered that, with a machete through the stomach.

"_Erisa. . . I depended on you. . . "_

**Girl #17, Suzume Ikeda - Dead **

**16 Students Remaining **

Erisa pushed Suzume's body to the ground. Instead of returning to Ruriko right away, she ran in the opposite direction, almost leaving the zone. She knew what it was she'd find.

. ~ .

The man burst through the door. It was either very late at night or very early in the morning. It was dark outside, there were no stars shining.

"Where is he?!" the man yelled, his words slurred, smelling of alcohol.

A young Yukio tensed up. His mother was beside him. She put her hand on his shoulder and whispered, "Shh, it's alright, baby. It's alright." The woman stood up and walked out of the room.

"Mommy?" Yukio called.

"Just stay in there, baby. Mommy loves you," she said in a soft voice as she shut the door behind her.

"Where is he?!" the man yelled. "Where is the little bastard?!"

"You leave him alone, do you hear me?"

"What did you say, bitch?!" Yukio flinched as he heard a familiar sound, the sound of a fist hitting his mother.

"He's my son and I love him. Don't you touch him."

Yukio wanted to scream. He wanted to run out there and yell "Leave my mother alone!". He wanted to kill him, that pathetic excuse of a man wasn't worthy of her. But at the same time, Yukio knew that he, her own son, wasn't worthy of her either. He was a coward. A weak coward.

. ~ .

He screamed. He had to do it. He had to! He had to kill them all so he could get back to her. He had to prove himself, he had to take care of her; she was his mother. Besides. they couldn't compete. Not one of them was as caring or as loving or as beautiful or as innocent. This is why he would do it. He had to kill to get back to her. He had to kill to get back. He had to kill. He had to kill.

He stomped through the woods, gun in hand. He came upon a cave, small but able to be used. He went inside and saw a sleeping girl. He recognized her as Chimako Saitō. He knew she was extremely smart, so he wondered why she'd be stupid enough to fall asleep and leave herself vulnerable. Then he realized, fear takes a lot out of people.

He hated to do this, really, he did. He felt bad, she was just a girl and all. She was beautiful, too. Still, Yukio knew that he couldn't keep her around, he'd just get attached and the end would just be a mess. No, he would dispose of her easily. Carefully and quietly, he picked her up and carried her out of the cave. He thought about just leaving her there, but that would just be more of a hassle.

She would have fought, too. She would have fought valiantly with the meat cleaver she had received as her weapon. But she wouldn't get the chance to. Yukio would make it painless and ensure that she would sleep forever.

"_I wonder. . . if I'll ever get off this island. . . ?" _

**Girl #5, Chimako Saitō - Dead **

**15 Students Remaining **

. ~ .

As she approached the end of the zone, she found him. She knew she could kill him easily. His name was Yasahiro Hasegawa and he had always been a sickly child.

He spent his time going in and out of hospitals. He had cheated death a number of times, but now he couldn't escape. The most ironic part of Yasahiro's short story is that he wasn't even supposed to be there. This is based on two facts.

First off, he was held back a year due to the large amounts of school he had missed. He was smart, though, don't be confused. Overall, he didn't mind it. He liked his classmates.

Secondly, his parents, especially his mother, were very protective. She didn't want him to go on this "class trip", especially when she recalled all he had been through. He had to beg and plead for permission from his parents. Finally, they had agreed.

He was sitting on a log, completely still. Erisa walked out and sat across from him. She nodded to him, "Hasegawa."

"Sakamoto, Erisa," he said plainly. His mind was elsewhere.

"What is it that you think you're doing here?" she asked.

He shrugged, a motion which caused Erisa to tense up. "Observing the game."

When she looked more closely at him, she realized he sat with a chessboard in front of him. He had been on the chess team, she remembered. She had wondered how a boy who had such strange qualities had what others called "popularity".

"Who's winning?" she asked curiously.

"Nobody," he answered. Her facial expression fell. "That's not the answer you wanted to hear, I see."

"It isn't," answered the girl.

"Well, maybe you'll emerge victoriously in the end."

"I have the pawns," she said. "I have the power.

"The pawn you're thinking of isn't a pawn at all. It's a disadvantage," Yasahiro said while still staring at his game.

"It's not just that one," Erisa said stubbornly. "There are others."

"I don't doubt that," said Yasahiro. They sat in silence for a moment before he said, "It's back, you know. The cancer. I had an appointment with a doctor a few weeks ago and he told me. I didn't tell my parents, and I asked the doctor not to either. It wasn't the right time. I was going on the class trip to say goodbye. This time, it's inoperable. In any other case, someone would figure that the government would be able to save them if they won, but I'm smarter than that."

Erisa felt like she should apologize, then she realized she had no need to.

Yasahiro said, "I had a disadvantage in this game before it even began."

"I'll be seeing you, Hasegawa," said Erisa.

"Good luck, Sakamoto. I sincerely wish you the best," he said, not taking his eyes off the game.

Erisa lunged towards him and embedded her machete in his back. "You lose," she said.

"_You'll lose too." _

**Boy #14, Yasahiro Hasegawa - Dead **

**14 Students Remaining **

Erisa turned and casually walked away. She had to get back to Ruriko. As she waked, she proudly said, "This game is mine."

_AN: Yes, I got it out on time! Let me know any predictions you guys have. Who do you think is going to win? I love it when people try to guess the plot! And Sami - No, you're a great reviewer! I feel like I'm actually talking to all my reviewers, it's going to be so hard when I actually finish this story. Anyway, two announcements. 1. This story has a total of 20 chapters, we're halfway there! 2. I will be publishing two stories that go along with this. One will be an alternative ending and will be published at the same time as the last chapter, you guys will find out more about that later! The other is called "React" and should be out sometime this week. Please look at those too, if you have the time! Until next time! _


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Kama Murakami sat happily on a swing. She decided that one of the best things she could do was stay in someone's house. She didn't care if they minded or not. Besides, if you're going through hell, might as well make yourself comfortable. Kama figured that after years of hell, comfort was the least of what she deserved.

Now, she knew that others had it worse. There were kids with no homes, there were a number of people sleeping on the streets, at least she had a roof over her head - no matter how much she despised those who lived along with her under it. At least the option was there to always return if there was absolutely no other place to go.

Oh, but there were other places to go to. There were a million of them. There were people who worshipped the tough Kama, and they would be honored to have her stay in their house. There were people who called themselves her friends, she had never trusted them enough to confide in, but staying over for a few nights would not be a problem. She had neighbors, and when you all lived in the same conditions together, you helped each other out every now and then. Out of all of them, there was Mrs. Fujiwada.

Mrs. Fujiwada, now she was ancient. She was the oldest woman that Kama had ever encountered. Still, Kama had a large amount of respect for her. She was tough, never mind the fact that she was merely an old woman. Yet at the same time, she couldn't fight like she had at Kama's age. She was willing to, yes, but against someone in a more fit condition, she wouldn't stand a chance.

That's how she connects back to Kama. She always had her door open to the girl, always. Kama stayed there a number of times, but each time she felt bad, rotten. She felt like she was stealing from an old lady. One day, a short while after her husband's death, collectors came to her apartment. Mr. Fujiwada had borrowed money, and he had borrowed it from the wrong people. They came for what they were owed, they would simply take the money from him. They would take the money from the only one left, his wife.

Kama took care of them. She chased them down, running as fast as she could. She even got one of them. He was the furthest behind the others. She tackled him and they fought. He was slightly small when it came to muscle size and Kama wasn't. She found it so easy, but she was still so mad. How could someone attempt to steal from her role model? She took it out on the young man hit by hit by hit and slowly, very slowly, those negative emotions ceased to be there. That's when she walked away.

It had made a statement and it had been enough. All she heard was that she beat him badly enough for him to end up in the hospital. It was unclear at that point whether or not he would survive. Frankly, Kama did not care. Needless to say, those collectors did not bother Mrs. Fujiwada again.

. ~ .

She was trekking through somewhere now. She didn't exactly know where, but she knew she was far away enough from all the danger zones. She knew she didn't have to worry. She was like Mrs. Fujiwada, she was tough. She could handle anything. She knew that she would win, she didn't have any fears.

Briefly, she couldn't help but wonder how everyone else was doing. It's not that she really cared, she didn't have to. It was simply not her concern. She was determined to win, and she would do anything to ensure it.

. ~ .

Ruriko was laying down, looking up. She saw all the leaves of the neighboring trees surrounding the area above her. Erisa sat near her, carving into the wood of the place they called their fort.

"What are you doing?" Ruriko asked.

"Writing," Erisa answered.

Ruriko sighed. She hated the moments when Erisa acted that way. "Writing what?"

"I'm thanking the kid who owns this tree house. I figured he'd like to know he was a help."

"You're awfully strange sometimes."

Now it was Erisa's turn to sigh. She couldn't stand when Ruriko made fun of her, even if it was over something true. "If I'm so strange and you don't want to put up with it, why don't we see how long you can survive on your own?"

"I don't want to fight with you," Ruriko said hurriedly. "So who's still . . . " She stopped. She hated the way that sentence sounded. She also hated how she was almost so willing to let it slide off her tongue.

"Alive?" Erisa finished it for her, knowing that she had guessed the correct answer. She shrugged. "Don't know. An announcement will come soon."

"I wonder whose names will be on it?" Ruriko thought aloud.

Erisa snapped "Who cares?! I'm alive, you're alive, that's all there is to it."

Ruriko wanted to ask it so very badly. There was only one question which could be found in her mind. She couldn't help but wonder, what would they do when they were the last two, if it even got that far? But she wouldn't ask. She couldn't.

Erisa reached into her pocket and took out a cigarette. As she lit it up, Ruriko said, "You know I hate it when you do that. You're acting like Murakami."

Erisa exhaled the smoke and laughed. "Please, Kama wishes she was like me. I bet she doesn't have any of these right now."

"Good for her," Ruriko mumbled.

"You know, I hate that you - "

An announcement cut Erisa off from what she was about to say.

"Hello, kiddies!" a voice blared. "It's six in the evening, the sun will soon be set. I can't wait to see if there are any night-time kills!"

At that, Erisa smirked. In different locations throughout the island, Daisuke, Kama, and Yukio did too.

"Anyway, I'm sure you all really want to know who your dead friends are! Well, maybe I won't tell you. Just kidding! Of course I will. So, there were seven deaths since we last spoke. How exciting. Boy #18, Naoko Kondō. Boy #2, Chikaaki Aoki. Boy #5, Hisoka Fujii. Girl #10, Imako Suzuki. Girl #17, Suzume Ikeda. Girl #5, Chimako Saitō. Lastly, boy #14, Yasahiro Hasegawa."

Silence. It was as if every student could hear the breathing of those around them, or rather, the silence. Yemon Satō proceeded to read off the danger zones. Yet the silence continued.

. ~ .

"Suzume. Imako," Ruriko said as she cried. "Right after we left."

"Stop crying and just be glad that you didn't die alongside them." Erisa instantly regretted those words. Ruriko didn't deserve problems from her. Ruriko continued to cry in silence. Erisa put out her cigarette.

. ~ .

Beyond the residential area, to the north, there were mountains. No, they were more like cliffs. But to Joji Kimura, even though they weren't extravagantly large, but to Joji Kimura, they were a miracle.

He loved to climb things. When he was younger, his brother had taken him mountain climbing. That had been the best experience of his entire life.

Now, he just sat there, thinking. He couldn't believe that so many of his friends and classmates were dead. He thought of Suzume and Imako. He despised Imako. He thought she was a bitch. Suzume was too, but at least she had the looks to back up that attitude. The loyal followers of Ruriko Kobayashi were now dead and gone. He wondered if she was alone.

He didn't wish harm upon her. He liked Ruriko, he really did. Everyone in their class, she was kind and funny and no one could find it within themselves to hate her. The only person Ruriko couldn't get along with, the only one who hated Ruriko was Erisa. He found it strange that the girls would call themselves best friends. Then again, he didn't really understand the opposite sex, not at all. What a disadvantage that was.

. ~ .

Kama hid, watching him. Less than a year ago, she had cared for him. She wanted him to be hers.

She knew how things probably would have ended up in the very end. She'd have married her best friend, Daisuke. They would have been happy together, or at least something close to it. But no. At the start of the Program, when they had found each other, she had asked him what he was going to do.

He answered with, "I'm going to find her." Then the two embraced and ran in opposite directions.

She tried to forget about the memories of drunkenly discussing the desired lovers which they both had, yet would never get. She had to get him out of her head. She would never see her friend again.

She knew he would find the one he wanted as a lover, she just knew he would find the one he loved. She did not believe, however, that she would find the previous object of her affection. She had assumed that he would just die off and be gone. But now that she had found him, she knew exactly what she'd do.

She ran out to him. "Joji!" she exclaimed happily.

"Kama?!" he asked as he embraced her.

"Yeah. I'm so glad I found you," she said. Neither of them had let go.

He moved his hands up and down her back. "You're the first person I've seen since I ran," he said.

"I've been so scared," Kama said into his shoulder.

"It's okay, Kama," Joji said. "It's okay. I'm here to protect you now."

She simply looked at him. "Really?"

He let go of her and looked into her eyes. "Really. Just let me grab my bag."

He walked over to where he was last sitting and grabbed it. He looked over the cliff to the forest, which was where most of the students chose to reside.

As he stood looking, Kama said "Can you imagine? They're all killing each other down there."

"At least we have each other," he said while still looking down below.

"You never loved me."

And with that, Kama pushed him off.

"_Girls . . . are so stupid." _

**Boy #7, Joji Kimura - Dead **

**13 Students Remaining**

There. It was done. Now no one else could kill him. Kama was glad of that act she had taken. And at least she got to hug him one last time.

_AN: Wow, I was afraid I wasn't going to make this deadline. These chapters take me forever to type. Anyway, I'll have React up sometime within the first half of the next month. I really want to make it as great as it can be. Speaking of, I'm not so sure about this chapter. I really wanted to center it around Kama, but added a bit. Plus, there's a lot of small symbolisms in it. Please try to guess the plot, I honestly love the interaction between reader and writer that this site brings. _

_Sami: Awwe, I'm sorry about the cake! But I hope they had great birthdays! When's my next due date? And you said you're writing a BR fanfiction? I would love to read it! You should publish it or send me a link. I'll review it, and won't be mean, that's a promise. It's the least I can do, since you review me. _

_Lucca: Thank you for reading! I was just wondering, you said you're not a native English speaker, are you reading this in English or another language? If so, which one? I've always wondered how this site's translator worked. _

_Thank you all for reading. Have a nice day!_


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

His parents never met her. He never knew his mother in the first place, so how could she have met the woman he was going to marry? His dad did meet her once. but he had been so drunk he didn't remember it the next morning, so it didn't count.

His brother met her, though. Daisuke had loved his brother, almost as much as he loved her. So, the two met, introduced themselves to the other, and went their separate ways. Daisuke walked across the store they had been in. She had been buying something, his brother worked there.

"That's her," Daisuke had said. "She's the one."

His brother had laughed. "You really think you're going to get her?"

Daisuke stood proud. "Of course I am," he said. "Just watch. Did she look my way at all?"

His brother sighed. He wasn't sure if he should lie and give his brother false dreams, or tell the truth and be blamed for hurting his heart. "Nah," he said. "She looked down a bit, or at least when I was looking at her. I didn't pay that much attention."

Daisuke shrugged. "Maybe she doesn't remember coming over last week."

His brother laughed. "She should just be glad I didn't sit on the couch on top of her! Oh, she was so drunk, maybe even worse than Dad."

"She wasn't _that_ drunk," Daisuke said. His brother just looked at him. "Fine, she was pretty drunk but that doesn't make her a bad person or anything. She's still beautiful."

"You need to stop thinking about her. Clear your head or you won't get anything done," said his brother.

"Whatever, I'm just glad you met her. What did you think?"

"I wish you the best," he said.

Three weeks later, Daisuke's brother was killed. He had been accused of stealing from that very store, and he already had a record. He tried to run, but the police wouldn't let him get away. The eldest Yamazaki brother was dead at nineteen years old.

. ~ .

She had done a number of terrible things in her lifetime. By the time she was thirteen, Erisa had already been stealing packs of cigarettes. She also wasn't above stealing alcohol from her parents and neighbors. Yet still, none of them noticed. It didn't matter to her. She simply didn't care what she did.

The day Daisuke's brother was shot was a day that would forever be in her mind. She had been sent by her mother to pick up some groceries. She had found the items and was paying, she recognized that the man was Daisuke's brother but she did not know his name and she did not care. As he opened the register, an elderly woman dropped a carton of milk, which spilt all over the floor, and fell down. The elder Yamazaki brother rushed over to help her, leaving Erisa alone at the cash register.

She didn't have much time to think about it, she knew that he would be coming back. The moment fell into place and landed on a decision. She could wait for him to come back, or she could take what he left unguarded.

As mentioned above, she didn't have time to plan and consider it, it was so short a time to make such a drastic decision. She did what she thought she could pull off. She reached over the counter, took all the money from the open register, and she ran.

She didn't think it would matter as much as it did. She figured that he could just tell his boss that some punk kid stole it. The boss would be understanding and call the police over it. Erisa didn't stop to think that the Yamazaki man already had a police record, and that he could easily be blamed. She didn't think that somebody else would die as a punishment from her crime, but when she found that he did, she did not care.

. ~ .

Daisuke had decided from the minute he had realized his feelings for her. He would be her knight.

He would love her for all eternity, and he would do anything for her. He would do whatever she asked, be whatever she needed, and it wouldn't matter to him what he gained from it. He didn't mind just waiting to be thrown away because at least he would get to spend time with her; at least he would be able to make her happy, even if only temporarily.

He didn't care what happened to him, he only cared about what happened to her. She could live without him, but he couldn't survive, couldn't breathe without her. Therefore he had to protect her, he had to take care of her. It was his job as a lover, even if she didn't love him back.

"Hey man, how have you been?" someone asked him.

Daisuke spun around and faced him. Behind him stood Isamu Tanaka, boy #6. Daisuke felt a bit of relief. He knew Isamu pretty well, they grew up in the same neighborhood. Isamu thought that they were friends, but at the same time he knew that Daisuke was tough. That's why he didn't dare to be the first to pick a fight.

"Isamu," Daisuke said. "You scared me."

His friend laughed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to."

Even though he and Isamu had been friends, Daisuke cut right to the point. "Have you seen anybody?"

Isamu shrugged. "I've been hiding. I've heard people walking by but I wasn't always sure who they were. Why? Are you looking for someone?"

"Yeah," Daisuke said simply.

"A girl?" Isamu guessed in a playful manner. "A _special _girl?"

"Yeah," Daisuke said again.

"Well?!" asked Isamu. "Tell me who it is!" Daisuke wouldn't deny his love for her, so he told Isame the girl's name.

Isamu stared at him for a minute.

Isamu laughed. He laughed and laughed and laughed. "What's so funny?" asked Daisuke.

"You really like her?! Of all people? She's just so boring."

Daisuke said with slight anger in his voice, "You don't know her."

"I know she's probably pretty prude. She hasn't been with anyone. Maybe no one wants her."

"You don't want to go there, Isamu," Daisuke warned.

"Hey, I'm not saying that I wouldn't do anything to her. She's not ugly. I'd consider it, then I'd drive her crazy," said Isamu with a proud tone in his voice.

"You're not going to touch her," said Daisuke.

Isamu smirked. "Want to make a bet? I bet I can find her before you do, seduce her, and have her moaning my name."

Daisuke lunged towards him and pushed him down. "You stay away from her. If you hurt her, I will hurt you ten times worse, Tanaka. You know that you don't want to mess with me."

"Whoa, it's okay," he said, faking defeat. "She's not pretty enough for me anyway."

Daisuke growled. He took out the gun in his pocket. Isamu held up his hands. "Calm down, I don't have a weapon. I got string, just a string. Don't kill me, please. We're friends."

Isamu was crying. "We're not friends at all," Daisuke said. "I'm not friends with anyone who doesn't care for her, or at least accept that I do. You're pathetic."

And with that, Daisuke pulled the trigger in her name.

"_Shit. . . I was just kidding. . . just. . . playing around. . . you know?" _

**Boy #6, Isamu Tanaka - Dead**

**12 Students Remaining **

. ~ .

Yukio thought about all the people who were remaining. In his eyes, none of them seemed like a threat to him. He hadn't yet heard the update on who was dead at the moment, and he didn't care.

It didn't matter to him. They were nothing, and they would always be nothing to him. He didn't owe them anything. He didn't appreciate them. He didn't have to take care of them. There was somebody else who was his priority.

He had to return to her. She had taken care of him through everything, it was the least he could do. He had to win and get her out of there. He had to rescue her, to give her hope.

If he didn't, he would only be a waste of space, a wasted effort. And for both their sakes, Yukio refused to be a failure. He would go back to her, and he didn't care what he had to do in order to succeed at that.

. ~ .

_I got "React" out, everyone! Hopefully you'll all like that one too, don't be afraid to check it out!_

_Well, of course I procrastinated as much as possible with this one. Then, when I did decide to write, everyone decided that they wanted to talk to me, Netflix decided to be a million times more interesting, music decided to try to inspire me to write other things, and so on. Oh, and of course my wallet decided to play hide-and-seek and I haven't found it yet but I need it for tomorrow. So yay. Anyway, hope you guys like this, thank you for reading. Review and make my day?  
_

_Sami: Oh, you write on Quizazz? I've never really used it, is it any good? And I'll definitely read your story, just send a link! I've been looking for something to read. As for your question, obviously it depends on the entire background of the family. A full-time job would make more money than a part-time job (in most cases). But as for the family, it definitely costs more to raise two children of the same age. If they were a few years apart, the younger could receive hand-me-downs from the older, but if they're in the same class, like you said, the parents have to buy two of everything. Double the amount of clothing, food, etc. I think both parents would have to work harder than if they only had one child. Then again, it depends on the year and the entire economic background of not just the family, but how well the country's doing. And there is a tax for marriage and for children (I believe,) but I'm not exactly sure how it works and if it goes up per child or not. Sorry, but I hope I helped! The next update is due when? _


	13. Chapter 13

5

Chapter Thirteen

Her name was Mikka Endō. Everyone knew her as the quiet girl. Even the teachers didn't bother calling on her. She didn't really talk at all, not even at home. She was passive, she did whatever was asked of her. She was so incredibly shy.

If you were to ask any of her classmates about her, they would say, "Oh, she's in my class, but I haven't talked to her very much." and the truth is no one talked to her at all. She didn't have many friends.

She figured out right away that she wouldn't last long in the Program. She had no allies. She ran as fast as she could and hid. She did not cry, she didn't really want to. She had no need to cry. They weren't her friends, were they?

She figured if anything, she could sit and hide and wait it out. Yes, it would involve killing the last person standing, but they'd already be weakened due to their fighting. She could do it. She could go back home and be all by herself all over again. She didn't like it, she didn't hate it, she did not care.

So, she did just what she said she would do. She hid. In her bag, there was some food, some water, the map, and her weapon. She could have used it. If she had, she could have won. Instead, she swore that there would be only one target, whoever was left in the end. There would be only one life which would be ended by her hands. She threw the gun away. She threw it far into the jungle, she didn't know nor care where it landed. She walked in the opposite direction.

She sat and thought of nothing.

. ~ .

Kama Murakami was looking for someone to kill. It was the early evening of the second day and she was ready to kill again. The sun was slowly beginning to set, leaving an orangey glow.

As Kama walked she saw a girl. This girl seemed to be minding her business. She was sitting on a log reading a book. Kama had never talked to this girl, and she wasn't sure if she had ever even seen her before.

The girl looked up and looked over at Kama. There was no expression on her face. She offered a suggestion, "Keep walking."

Kama just stared. The girl stood up, turned and ran. Kama chased after her.

She then knew. This was a student. How could she have forgotten them? How could she have begun to forget their faces?

The girl running ahead of her was small and quick, like a fox. She kept taking turns, running this way then that. She got too far ahead of the one following her, and soon Kama didn't even know where she was.

Kama yelled. She hated letting her prey get away so easily.

. ~ .

Mikka was out of breath. She was leaning against a tree, panting. She held the book tightly in her hands. She was paler than usual, and she was shaking.

She was so scared. She was terrified. She had never felt like this in her entire life. At least she kept her cool. She had gotten away. She'd have to be much more careful in the future.

"Mikka?" a girl's voice asked, scaring her out of her thoughts. The girl started to turn around, only to be hit in the head with something metal, something hard. Everything went black as she felt herself falling to the ground.

. ~ .

Ruriko was singing a song. She sang quietly, of course. She did this for a number of reasons. Obviously she didn't want someone to find her and kill her, but at the same time she didn't have enough confidence to sing loudly.

"_Because girl, I'll be your friend_

_but will it even matter in the end?_

_The fall, the fall _

_it happens to us all, _

_but girl, let's delay it for as long as we can." _

"You're a good singer," Erisa said from behind her.

Ruriko would have been afraid, but she figured it was Erisa. Besides, she knew that Erisa wouldn't let anything happen to her.

Ruriko related their friendship to a book that had come out only ten years before. It was an American book, but it wasn't banned in their country. She didn't know why, and she didn't care to know why.

Anyway, it was a book about two friends. That's all Ruriko could remember. She knew that the two were like brothers, and she knew that something bad happened. She had forgotten the rest, though. She had even forgotten the title. It infuriated her.

"Erisa," she said slightly angrily.

"Hm?" Erisa asked with sound, without words.

"What was the name if it?!"

Erisa looked at her strangely. Ruriko hated it when people looked at her that way. "The name of what, Ruriko?"

Ruriko's anger escalated. "The name of the book."

"You have to be more specific," said her friend.

"Damn it, Erisa. You know which one I mean. The one about the two friends who travel alone together and care for each other and keep each other out of trouble and we read it in class and it's American and you really liked it and you kept talking about it and I thought it reminded me of us but I never told you that and it was a short book but it was good and the point was too vague and - "

Erisa cut her off. She put her hands on Ruriko's shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "Stop. You're rambling."

"I'm not crazy," she said. "But what was the name of it?! You know what I'm talking about. Right?!"

Erisa moved for Ruriko to sit down. "Yes, I know what you're talking about."

Ruriko instantly felt better. "Good," she said.

She immediately began to cry. She didn't know why, she knew it was stupid. Still, she couldn't stop. In that moment, Erisa did something strange. She sat down next to Ruriko and wrapped her arm around her. "It's okay," she said softly. "Everything's going to be alright."

"Do you promise?" Ruriko asked through her sobs.

"I promise."

Ruriko knew right then. She knew. Erisa was never, ever wrong. Erisa never made a promise that she couldn't keep. Everything was going to be okay.

. ~ .

Kama stomped around angrily. "God, you're so stupid!" she whispered to herself. "How could you let her get away? You have to be more careful."

"Stop!" said a girl who jumped out in front of her. "Who are you?!"

Kama knew this person was stupid. Never take action unless you know what's going on. "It's me. Kama Murakami."

"We're a team now," said the girl.

Kama searched her mind for a name. It came to her slowly. "You and me are not a team, Hayashi."

"Call me Hideka. You can because we're friends now. We're a team. We're going to win this together, I know it. We're friends," said Hideka. Kama knew. She hated dealing with people like this. With people who have snapped.

"We're not friends."

"You're my new friend. When this is all over we can go get ice cream cones. Chocolate or vanilla?" Hideka asked. "Oh, I guess it doesn't matter. We don't have to have everything in common, you know. Just enough teamwork to win it."

"Alright," Kama said. "We can work together, Hideka. I think it's actually a good idea, but you have to be willing to do everything I say."

"Everything?"

Kama nodded. "Everything."

"Okay!" Hideka said with a happy smile. She hugged Kama. "I'm so glad we're best friends!"

"Were you hiding somewhere?" Kama asked.

"Yeah!"

Kama said extra-sweetly "Do you want to show me?"

Hideka nodded and excitedly said "Sure!" but she did not move.

"Please, lead the way."

Hideka turned around. She heard a bang. She felt a pinch. She had lost the game.

"_Oops. . . ah, well . . . it's okay. . . good luck, bestie!" _

**Girl #7, Hideka Hayashi - Dead **

**11 Students Remaining **

. ~ .

Kama felt a little bad. She hated herself. She was weak, she was a wimp.

She had made a friend. Someone went out of their way to become friends with her. They trusted her and they had hope in her.

The least she could have done was kill her to her face.

_AN: I know this chapter's a bit shorter than usual but it's very important! Just a few things now, yes I made up that song (so no, this doesn't classify as a "song-fic", is no way involved in copyright infringement, and follows all the rules of this site. Just pointing that out now). And did anyone get what book I was referencing? I originally wanted to reference "__Lord of the Flies__" by William Golding, but that didn't come out until the 1950's. If someone can guess correctly what book I meant, I can give a small spoiler in the next author's note. It won't ruin the ending, but it will be a hint. Good luck!_

_Sami: I can't wait! Is it modern-day? Does it involve America students? Share as much as you can! Also, about deadlines, can you start giving shorter ones? And please just don't go "Okay, next update is tomorrow!" because I just feel like I procrastinate too much. _

_Lastly, this story will be finished before the end of the summer. There are only seven chapters left, guys! Finishing this is going to be bittersweet. _

_But thank you for reading, please review. Have a nice day! _


	14. Chapter 14

4

Chapter Fourteen

Daisuke was cold. The winds were blowing by him, causing him to shiver. The snow kept piling up around him. It was falling from the sky as if it's only goal was to bitterly pound on him. But he kept trudging through it. He kept walking. He had to get to that light, no matter how far off it seemed.

He walked for hours on end. He wouldn't stop until he got to it. He wasn't exactly sure what it was he would find there, but he knew it would be exactly what he was looking for. He struggled, it nearly took him an eternity, but he got there.

He did not feel pride at making this achievement. He did not feel happiness, or any positive emotion one can name. He felt a pang of fear, but it was gone as soon as it came. He did not feel anything negative, in fact he did not feel anything. He felt nothing, which was the best feeling he had ever felt.

A girl was there, she was the source of the light. Daisuke would not pretend that he did not recognize her. He knew quite well who she was. And she knew him.

When she looked at him, she did not have a smile upon her face. He was smiling like a madman, she was not. She just looked at him. Around her, Daisuke noticed that there was no snow whatsoever, instead there was a circle of grass. There were even flowers.

He said her name, but it felt foreign on his tongue, as if he had never said it or hadn't said it for an awfully long while. In fact, it all seemed foreign. It was as if she wasn't his girl anymore. It was as if she had never interacted with him and had no desire to interact with him. He had changed as well, but his loyalty did not fade. Her loyalty, on the other hand, he was unsure exactly where her loyalties resided. He hated himself for thinking that. She was his, and he knew that there was no way she would betray him. He believed that, he had to.

"What am I doing here?" he asked her.

"You're dreaming," she said. Her voice was soft. "I don't dream anymore. I actually miss it. Right now, I envy you."

"I'm asleep? In the middle of the Program?!"

She did not smile. She felt the fear coming off of him in waves. She allowed herself a small smirk, lasting only a few seconds before it completely vanished. "One does not have to be asleep to dream."

"So what am I doing then?" he asked. Part of him wanted to prove her wrong and show her that she didn't know everything, even though she pretended to. The other part of him felt like crying at her feet and begging her to make it all stop.

"What are you doing? This." She waved her hand and there was now a small hole in the blizzard, as if it had been a painting and she had cut a circle through it only to reveal a different painting underneath.

When Daisuke looked through it, he saw a terrifying scene unfurling beneath. It was him, he was there but he was also here, and he was fighting a boy he barely recognized. He knew his name and his face, but not much else. "Should I stop this?" he voiced aloud.

"No," said his girl. "I don't want you to."

"What do you want?" he asked. Did she want this? Did she want this massacre?

"I want us to win," she said. She said it in a way that was so innocent, so thought out, that even Daisuke was convinced that she could do no wrong.

He stepped towards her, and before she could step back, he wrapped his arms around her. "We will," he said. He wanted to kiss her. Words can't describe how badly he just wanted to stay there and hold her, to kiss her neck, to hold her hand, to never let go of her embrace. But he knew he couldn't. He had to find her first, he had to protect her where it really mattered.

"Go back down there," she whispered in his ear. "Find me. Win."

Daisuke nodded. "I will." And with that, she slowly disappeared; she was blown away with the snow and the wind.

. ~ .

When he arrived back in the Program again, he was hot. He was sweating. He was hurt. There was blood all over his hands, all over his face, and all over his back. Was it his blood or someone else's?

He looked around, trying to find someone who it could possibly belong to. Maybe, if he tried hard enough, he could give it back.

He didn't want to do this anymore. He didn't want to play this game, he didn't want to follow the rules. He was Daisuke Yamazaki and he did whatever he wanted. He didn't want to do this anymore, but he would. He would do it for her. He would win it for her. Why? Because he loved her and that was the only emotion he felt of which he was sure.

When he saw what he had done, he fell to his knees and put a hand over his mouth.

On the ground in front of him lay a boy. It was Koji Yoshida. Koji was covered in blood, he had a huge gash across his forehead. He made eye contact with Daisuke, his killer.

He pointed a shaking finger at him and uttered one last word. "Why?"

"_I never did anything to you. . . why, just why?" _

**Boy #10, Koji Yoshida - Dead **

**10 Students Remaining **

. ~ .

Where, oh where had her Koji gone? Her name was Hikaru Yamasaki. She was going out with him. It may not have been a big deal to anyone else, but it was to her. He was her first boyfriend, and she couldn't have been happier.

He reminded her of a teddy bear, or maybe a puppy. He had to step up for the Program, though. He protected her, but he was not a murderer. They had been holding hands, she had only walked off a little but to use the bathroom. He should have stayed where he was. She wanted to call out to him, but she was afraid she would be discovered.

Instead, she walked around a bit. She heard a gasp. That was him, right? It had to be.

She walked over with a smile. That faded as she saw her lover there, dead. Her mouth dropped open.

"I'm sorry," said a boy who she knew she should fear. "You needed him, didn't you? Well she needs me, and I need her more than you can imagine. You have to help me."

"I'd never help you," she said.

"I don't need you to physically help," he said. "What I need, is for you to die."

He stood up and stepped towards her. He didn't want to hurt her, she was like a dandelion. What he was looking for though, it was a rose.

She turned and tried to run, but his hands found their way onto her neck before she even got a chance.

"_I pity the girl that you did this for." _

**Girl #8, Hikaru Yamasaki - Dead **

**9 Students Remaining **

. ~ .

She knew it was a risk, she did. She knew she shouldn't have crossed into a new zone. Ruriko would worry until she got back, wouldn't she? Still, there was only one thing Erisa was born to do.

She was walking. She just needed to see if there was anyone around. If she knew what it was she was going to find, she would have ran in the opposite direction.

. ~ .

He was nearing the edge of the zone. He didn't know why. He was just wandering. That was the only thing he could do, he couldn't find her that day and he knew it. It just wasn't the day.

He was going to continue forwards, but there was a large hill. He didn't want to climb it, so he just stood there looking at it.

Someone cleared their throat behind him. "It's me, don't worry. I want to make a deal with you."

"Oh?" asked Daisuke.

"Yes. You're going to walk up the hill there, and I'm going to walk in the opposite direction. We won't have any problems," said the boy.

"Okay," said Daisuke. But he didn't mean it.

The boy walked away slowly. He walked backwards, never taking his eyes off Daisuke.

Daisuke, the larger of the two, jumped towards him and pushed him. He fell to the ground. Daisuke stood over him and wrapped his arms around the boy's neck.

Suddenly, he looked up. He couldn't explain why. Perhaps it was fate.

What he saw changed him. For there, standing on the top of the hill, was none other than girl number eighteen, Erisa Sakamoto.

_AN: Cliffhanger! Gasp! I kept listening to Billy Talent's "Navy Song" and "Hospital for Souls" by Bring Me the Horizon, not sure which one really inspired the first part up there. By the way, the book I was referencing last chapter was _Of Mice and Men _by John Steinbeck. Anyway, thanks for reading, please review?_

_Sami:Wow, you're eleven?! I wouldn't have guessed, I thought you were at least in high school! If you write as well as you review, I don't think anyone can tell, and it's always good to get feedback as soon as you can. I've been publishing fanfictions online for three years and I've been on a number of websites. This one is my favorite, though. You can read, you can review, you can publish, yes, but you can also privately message other users, add stories and authors to a favorites list, get email alerts for stories, and join forums/communities (I haven't really done that, though!) This website is a little hard to figure out, but once you get it, it's amazing. And other sites, there's Quizilla, which is fun for taking quizzes and polls. I've published some stuff on there but it's way too glitchy. There's also Wattpad, but it's a little hard to actually get good feedback on. I've been on a few others, but those are the only ones that left a somewhat good impression. Maybe you won't agree with me on this, but I think Fanfiction is the best!_


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Once upon a time, she had been a happy girl. Once, she hadn't been aware of what was truly happening in her life. It was just a small argument, a little disagreement. That was all. _Mommy and Daddy are fighting again. Mommy. Daddy. Fighting. Again. __Again._

If she had known what was going to happen to her, she would have left with her father. Kama wanted nothing more than to just reverse it all back to the beginning. No killing, no Program, no failing her classes, no divorce, no fights, just childhood. But she couldn't reverse what she had done.

There was a belief, she didn't know the name of it, but it did exist. It was a belief that choices can lead to alternate realities. Entire timelines are based off small choices, every time a person has a choice to make, these time waves create what would happen under each possibility. They are all different, compiled of alternate after alternate. They are sempiternal, and the number of them is infinite. What these streams of time do, they wrap themselves around the planet, they cause it to turn and new days to come. They are not forgotten, but it is not unknown for them to fade out, even though one choice in ancient history could have led to the choices she made that very day. It made them possible, at least. Because of this, Kama believed that somewhere she was happier. She had to believe that. What else was there? She wished people could jump from one timeline to another, just to see what their life would have been, could have been, yet never was. She'd find herself to be happier. That was the only hope that she had left.

. ~ .

Boy Twenty-one was walking. His real name was Hiroshi Aoki, and he was known for his smile. He was always telling jokes, and he sometimes got in trouble for it. Still, students, and any teacher with a sense of humor, loved him. He never knew when to be serious.

Except now. He knew what was going to happen to him and to all of the people he had grown up with.

They would die.

That's all there was to it.

He didn't want to kill anyone. He didn't want them to kill him. He couldn't kill himself. Those were the problems.

And absolutely no one, no one knew of his sadness. No one knew the levels to which it reached. No one knew how deeply it was embedded in him, the darkness. No one knew the thoughts which he tried to keep in the very back of his mind, no one knew of his desire to be dead. They saw him and talked to him every day and laughed at his jokes and he knew them but they didn't know him. They thought they did, but they didn't. If they had, they would have either been scared away or they would want to help him. He honestly wasn't sure which would happen. That's why he didn't tell anyone, and why he did the best he could to appear as the opposite of what he really was.

Part of him wanted to tell people how he felt, but he was too scared. The other part of him wanted to just let himself die, but again, he was too scared. He was a very terrified boy.

That's why, when he saw Kama Murakami walking close to him, his heart skipped a few beats.

. ~ .

He had to run, though. He had to run to catch up with her, she hadn't noticed him. "Murakami," he called. She turned towards him and looked at him as if he just snapped her out of a dream. "Are you okay?" he asked her. She nodded, not speaking to him.

Hiroshi asked "Are you playing?"

"Yes," she said softly.

He sat down on the ground, his back to the setting sun, facing Kama. "Well, are you going to kill me?"

She stood there for a moment, looking far younger than she was. "I don't know."

He patted the ground next to him and gestured for her to sit. Surprisingly, she did so. "I want you to," he said.

"What?"

"I want you to kill me. I've wanted to die for quite a while now, but I guess I always found myself another reason. It was the people near me, those who laughed with me. I was here for them. Most of them are dead now, so I don't really see the point in being here anymore."

Kama didn't understand. "You _want_ to die, Hiroshi?"

"Yes."

"But only miserable people want to die, you're the most energetic and happy person I know."

He chuckled, "I only seem happy."

"So what do you want me to do about it?" Kama asked.

He handed her his only weapon, a small knife. He then shrugged. "Do as you please. But I don't like pain, please don't make it hurt." She took it into her hands and simply stared at him. "If it means anything," he said, "I hope you win, Kama Murakami."

He then shut his eyes. Kama dug the knife into his neck.

"_Well, now that all that is over with. . . "_

**Boy #21, Hiroshi Aoki - Dead **

**8 Students Remaining **

Kama fell to her knees. All she had wanted was to make him happy, as happy as he deserved to be.

. ~ .

Daisuke still had his hands on Akira's neck. In one swift motion, he snapped it. Erisa stood still, she stood strong as he came closer to her.

He closed the distance between them, so they were touching. He began to cry. "Erisa, I've been looking all over for you."

She was surprised. "You have?"

He nodded, "Yes. I had to tell you, I just have to say that I love you." He wrapped his arms around her, embracing her in a hug.

She flinched.

He continued, "And I understand if you find this weird or such, but I've been looking for you this entire time. I just had to tell you that, I couldn't let you just slip away. I want to protect you, I want to be there for you and I want you to be glad to wake up with me in the morning, unlike when you had to sleep on the couch and you just left. I want you to love me and I just. . . "

He stopped talking when she hugged him back. "You don't have to explain yourself, Daisuke. I get it," she said. He smiled.

. ~ .

It was just like it had been before. Daisuke and Erisa sat together, smoking cigarettes. Only this time, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders as the two of them watched the sun set.

Eventually, the two laid back and watched the stars show up slowly in the night sky.

"Hey, Daisuke, I have an idea," Erisa said randomly.

"Yeah, what's that?"

"Oh, never mind. I'll tell you tomorrow, I wouldn't want to ruin this perfect night," she said.

"Alright. I love you."

Daisuke couldn't see it, but in the dark, Erisa smirked.

_AN: Again, I'm sorry this was out late guys. It won't happen again! There are only five chapters left, any guesses as to what's going to happen?_

_Tricked Fooled: I'm sorry it was such a long wait, and hopefully this was worth it. I'd rather have you say something about the fact that it's an author's note than be all "This chapter was horrible and below standards", which was what I felt about what I was writing at the time. Hopefully you enjoyed it!_

_Sami: Hm, maybe I will go on there this summer. I've heard of it before and may have used it awhile back, maybe I'll check it out again. Yeah, it is surprising, I expected you to be way older, I guess it just shows how intelligent you are! And since your birthday's the 30th, maybe I can aim to publish the last chapter on that day? There are only five left, it's shocking because I feel like I just started this, haha. Anyway, when's my next update? _

_Until then!_


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Kama sat in the dirt with her knees pulled to her chest. She just sat there, she did nothing. She wanted to speak to someone, just have one normal conversation. Just one more. "It' pointless," she whispered to herself.

She knew she didn't have a home to really return to. She technically had no reason to go back, aside from proving that she could survive. She knew that her entire neighborhood believed in her, but that was nothing, they didn't matter to her. She wanted to speak to Mrs. Fujiwada again, just one last time. She wondered if the old woman was watching this violence.

Part of her hoped that Mrs. Fujiwada would never find out about this. She had seen enough, all of this was something she didn't need to know about. The other part wanted Mrs. Fujiwada to be sitting alone in her kitchen, close to the small television, silently cheering her on.

Kama got worried. _No, no, no, Mrs. Fujiwada can't see me weak, get up, foolish girl, do something! Who will take care of her if you don't get back? She'll be completely alone, she'll wither away. You're like her daughter and you're the only one who can take care of her. So get up. Move. _And so she did.

. ~ .

The sun began to rise, very slowly. Ruriko stood anxiously, waiting for the announcement. Her nails were bitten short. They hurt. She ran her hands through her hair and tried not to panic. She was shaking. She didn't know it, but she had dark bags under her eyes. She felt like crying.

"Good morning, boys and girls! It's six in the morning on the second day, and let me tell you, you guys are going much faster than I thought. Let me tell you what, because I'm so proud of all of you, I'll buy whoever wins a cheeseburger. There you go, that's even more motivation. Yum!"

Ruriko scowled. She'd consider punching him in the face, if he was in front of her. She wouldn't do it, though. That was Erisa's job. Erisa. _Get on with it. _

"So, here's a list of people who won't get to experience fine dining anymore! Boy #7, Joji Kimura, boy #6, Isamu Tanaka, girl #7, Hideka Hayashi, boy #10, Koji Yoshida, girl #8, Hikaru Yamasaki, and lastly, boy #21, Hiroshi Aoki."

Ruriko jumped and fist-pumped the air. Erisa wasn't dead! Of course, it was foolish to doubt her own best friend, but she was one who would worry. Erisa wasn't dead, but where was she?

. ~ .

The announcement was over. "Right," Erisa said. There are eight people left. She took out her map and the class picture. She gave a small smile when she saw Ruriko's face on there, and the name not crossed off. She felt bad for leaving her friend alone for the night, _who knows what kind of stupid shit she could get into without you? _

"So who's left?" Daisuke asked. He had thrown out his photograph. He was halfway through a cigarette, he laid down next to her and looked at the picture.

"Not many people of concern," Erisa said honestly. "We could always team up with Ruriko and Kama. I honestly have no idea who the others really are, but we could take them out. There's only one person I'm really concerned with, and that's Yukio."

Daisuke frowned. He didn't want her to worry about anything, and he said so. "I promise, I can take care of it. I can get him."

"That's what I was thinking when I told you about that plan I had last night," Erisa said. She waited for him to ask what it was, but he had another question.

"Why are you even concerned with him?" Daisuke asked as he put out the cigarette.

"He's strong, we've seen him in gym class. Plus, I'm pretty sure he's been killing people, especially considering how fast people are going down," she lied. She knew who had the highest kill rate. "But, I know you and I know you're way stronger. You could take him down."

Daisuke nodded. "I could do that." He could do anything for her.

"So, here's what I was thinking. I can go find Ruriko and get her to join us. You can go and kill Yukio. Then we can find Kama. As for the others, I don't really care about them. We are my priority, you and me especially."

"And what will we do?"

She shrugged. "We can try to find a way out together, I'll plan it on the map once you're fighting Yukio. It comes down to succeeding or dying in an attempt to, but I have confidence in us."

"So do I," Daisuke said. "But how do we find Yukio?"

Erisa smirked. "Easy."

Daisuke chuckled. "Oh?"

"Yep," said Erisa with a smile.

Daisuke moved closer to her. "Tell me," he said.

Erisa gave a smirk again. "Make me."

Daisuke leaned towards her and kissed her. It was only the second kiss of his lifetime, the first being with Kama in an attempt to get the first one out of the way, and he knew that this was the right one, this was how it was meant to be.

"He's two zones away from here, heading west," Erisa said afterwards. "And before you ask, I know because that's where I walked here from. I was checking out the area and I saw him there. I hid, I can't handle him. It will take you awhile to get there, you'll have to walk to save energy."

"Right," he said. He stood up and brushed grass off of his pants. "And where will we meet up?"

"Here," Erisa said. "And I'll have Ruriko."

"Right," Daisuke said again. Erisa stood up. She was slightly shorter than him. "I love you."

"Not as much as I love you," Erisa said back. They held each other close.

"Here," Daisuke said. He handed Erisa a cigarette. "It's my last one, but I don't want it." Erisa took it. "I have to go now," Daisuke said. "I'll kill him. Everything will be alright, I promise."

Erisa nodded, the two separated, and Daisuke walked to the west.

. ~ .

Kama stood across from the girl. She had managed to get the gun out of the smaller child's grip. Now she stood, shaking in fear. "Give me a reason not to kill you," Kama said.

"What?" the girl asked. She was Akasuki Nishimura. She was amazed to have survived this long, she had just slept in an abandoned warehouse. But that was going to be a danger zone in less than an hour, so she had to move. She figured that, if it came down to it, she could kill the other person. They'd be hurt from surviving so long, they'd probably be a fighter. Now Kama came along and ruined it all.

"Please," Kama said. "Give me one good reason."

Akasuki stuttered. "I'm sorry," Kama said. "It's too late." And with that, she pulled the trigger.

"_I got so . . . close. But she'll go further." _

**Girl #2, Akasuki Nishimura - Dead **

**7 Students Remaining **

Kama began to cry. She held the gun up to her head. She thought about it for a minute, a brief minute in reality, but it seemed like an eternity to her. She pulled the trigger.

_Click. _She pulled it again. _Click. _It was empty. Akasuki's weapon had been a gun with only one bullet, and Kama had wasted it.

She shrugged, threw the gun to the side, and wandered on.

. ~ .

Erisa climbed up to the pieces of wood in the tree. "Erisa!" Ruriko said, while embracing the girl in an immediate hug. "Where the fuck were you?!"

"I'm so sorry," Erisa said. She meant it, too. She could tell that Ruriko had been crying. Feelings of guilt hit her like a truck. "I got a little lost and didn't want to wander around in the dark."

"It's okay, I'm glad you're back," Ruriko said. "We're okay, and that's what matters."

. ~ .

It was still early by the time Daisuke found him. He was sitting in the sun, alone, looking as if he didn't have a fear or care in the world.

Daisuke increased his speed and planned on hitting him. Yukio heard him, though, and he punched Daisuke in the head before Daisuke could even touch him. The boy stumbled backwards, but lept forward again, aiming for Yukio's face. He scratched around Yukio's eyes. Yukio now moved back, rubbing his left eye, which was now heavily bleeding.

"Finally," Daisuke said. "A worthwhile fight."

And the two boys went at it again.

_AN: Ugh, for some reason I found this chapter frustrating to write. Maybe that's because it's 12:40am right now and I don't usually write so late. I can write late, it's not a problem so I don't really know why this chapter was so weird. I accidentally added an extra scene, basically a repeat of something small that happened earlier in the story, and I was mad at myself because I had to go back and delete it, even though I thought it was pretty good. Anyway, thank you all for reading!_

_Untricked: I understand what you mean on the Hiroshi aspect, I admit I wanted to have that part included earlier, but I was a little afraid to write it, I didn't want to completely write it the wrong way, if that makes sense. Thank you for reviewing! _

_Sami: Thank you so much for writing out the dates, that seems perfect. Some may be written a little bit ahead of time (I'll try not making them later), especially the one which should be out on the 12th, I'll be busy around then, but I'll try to get it out around the ninth. Also, I had another idea for a separate story, kind of a sequel (more of an alternate ending) to this, I was thinking of posting it as a different story, but I think I may just post it here in this one. When would that have to be out? (I'm not yet sure if it's one chapter or a few). As for the Hunger Games, yes, I believe it was a bit of a rip-off of Battle Royale. This can even be seen in the characters, Shuya is Katniss (both important characters who become leaders in a revolution (referencing the second BR movie, which still came out before THG)), Noriko is Peeta (both characters who are dependent upon the leaders in the game and also take part in the revolution), Mitsuko is Clove (both female killers), Kazuo is Cato (both male killers), 42 students against 24 tributes, both tales of a terrible dystopian society sometime in the near-ish future, I could go on. There's way too much for it to all be a big coincidence, especially if you count the romance aspect (THG pounds on it more, but BR has it too, especially the movies). And both were insanely popular, BR more so in Japan, that's why THG can kind of get away with it, so to speak, BR wasn't too popular in America. Still, both are great in their own ways (aside from the fact that I can't stand Katniss) and I wouldn't have discovered BR without THG. And wow, that was long, haha. In short, yes, I think so and I do prefer BR in the long run. _

_So thanks to everyone for reading, please leave a review. If you celebrate it, have a happy fourth of July, if not, I hope everyone still has a great day. Until next time!_


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